New rail projects to be put on hold under five-year Network Rail strategy

Network Rail has published its strategy for 2019-2024, which outlines plans to maintain railway lines rather than fund new projects; impacting the funding behind the new Northern Powerhouse Rail project.

A total of £18.5bn will go into the operation and maintenance side of the Network Rail business and a similar amount will be allocated for renewing and replacing old infrastructure, including signalling systems.

There is £10.1bn set aside for new projects, with the majority of that likely to go on improving the line between Manchester and Leeds. That is likely to be spent on upgrading existing tunnels, bridges and lines rather than a new Northern Powerhouse Railway.

The news come just weeks after the Transport for the North launched its draft Strategic Transport Plan; described as a 30-year vision for transport investment across the North of England.

The body is currently hosting a 13-week public consultation on the Strategic Transport Plan, with sessions across Yorkshire and beyond for the public to feedback on proposals; which include Northern Powerhouse Rail.

Network Rail’s five-year plan was published to “improve Britain’s railway over the five years to 2024.” The firm said that the plan would drive economic growth, jobs and housing by delivering a better railway for the millions of people who rely on it. Network Rail added: “The railway will be more reliable, more cost efficient, it will have more capacity, will build on its reputation as the safest railway in Europe and usher in the railway’s digital age.”

Mark Carne, chief executive, Network Rail, said: “By 2021 there will be almost 350,000 more services per year than today – an average of an extra 1,000 services a day, better connecting communities and driving economic growth across the country.

“This plan builds on these improvements and sets out how we will make the railway more reliable and cost efficient and how we accelerate the technological transformation of our railway into the digital age.

“We will continue our strategy to work more closely with train and freight operators, working together in partnership to continue to expand the network for the millions more who will want and need it in the years ahead.

“It is an ambitious, but realistic plan that is not without challenge, but with great people working together in great teams, it can deliver the better railway that a better Britain needs.”

There is a planned expenditure of up to £47bn over the five year period, with 25% earmarked for day-to-day improvements.

Network Rail said the era of major ‘conventional’ resignalling – the basis of controlling train movements for the past 175 years – will begin to be phased out as this plan ushers in the start of the railway’s digital age with digital train control that will enable even more services to run, more safely and at lower cost.

The strategy said that projects will be developed on a case-by-case basis and once they are mature enough, be put before funders for a go/no-go decision. Network Rail added: “Other projects may require additional funding and plans are being developed to identify new sources of funding that do not rely on the taxpayer.

A Transport for the North spokesperson said:  “Plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail remain on track and £60 million of funding has been secured for the development of the programme as the strategic outline business case for the new network is being prepared. Early work on infrastructure enhancements that will underpin Northern Powerhouse Rail are also in the pipeline, including the development of the Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade and enhanced rail infrastructure between Sheffield and Manchester and the potential re-opening of the Skipton to Colne railway.

“Transport for the North remains confident that the case for the development of Northern Powerhouse Rail is continuing to grow and be recognised and that the new network, which will be developed over 25 years, will play a significant part in providing an economic uplift to the North of England as connectivity improves between our major economic centres.”

Meanwhile, the Sheffield City Region has welcomed Hope Valley line plans. The long-awaited scheme that will reduce delays and improve reliability for trains on the congested Sheffield to Manchester route is one step closer after being given the green light by Chris Grayling, the Secretary of State for Transport.

The decision, taken by the Transport Secretary of State, was to approve the granting of the Transport and Works Act order which is necessary, and a key step in the process to secure the improvements to the Hope Valley line.

The Hope Valley route between Bamford and Dore is affected by slow freight trains, and the planned improvements will allow passenger trains to overtake. Currently two fast passenger trains an hour and one stopping train every two hours use the line: the scheme would allow that to rise to three fast trains per hour and one stopping train each hour.

Martin McKervey, lead member for transport on the SCR Local Enterprise Partnership Board, and a member of the Transport for the North Partnership Board, said: “Improved rail connections to Manchester are a key SCR priority and something we have been pressing very hard for with ministers, and something the private and public sectors have been working together to achieve for some time.”