Media centre

Monday 2 Apr 2007

£200 MILLION RAIL EXPANSION PROGRAMME FOR NORTH EAST AND YORKSHIRE UNVEILED

Region & Route:

A £2.4bn programme of rail expansion was unveiled by Network Rail today as it outlined its spending plans over the next two years. Hundreds of platforms will be lengthened, new platforms added, new tracks laid, line speeds raised and capacity added through major resignalling schemes. The north east and Yorkshire will benefit from schemes worth more than £200 million Unveiling the plans, Network Rail's Chief Executive, John Armitt, said: "The railway is thriving. Demand for rail continues to grow and today's news outlines Network Rail's response to those demands. "Three million people use the railways each day, more than at any time in the past 60 years, and we're not standing still waiting for the big infrastructure projects to be delivered. We are doing something about it now by moving forward with hundreds of small schemes dotted around the country that will add capacity and ease crowding. "For the first time on record, over £1bn per year will be spent on expanding and growing the railway network. This, more than anything, shows how the needs of today's railway are shifting. We will never lose sight of the imperative to run a safe and reliable railway each and every day, but responding to the challenge of growth becomes a more important priority for the company." Over the next two years Network Rail is more than doubling the average annual investment on enhancement schemes - over £1.2bn per year. Not since well before privatisation (British Rail did not record enhancement spending) has so much money been invested in expanding the capacity of the network. Over the past 12 years, annual average spending on such schemes has been around £500m. Between April 2007 and March 2009, Network Rail will carry out £2.44bn worth of enhancement work with £1.73bn funded by Network Rail. The remaining £713m will be financed by other stakeholders, such as the Department for Transport, Transport Scotland, Welsh Assembly Government, Passenger Transport Executives, local authorities, port authorities train operators and freight groups. Network Rail is working on over 900 individual schemes. Here are just some examples of the schemes that will be delivered or will get underway in the north east and Yorkshire over the next two years: Scheme description and current spend profile over next 2yrs (GBP) Hull Docks branch line improvement - 9 million
to allow more freight trains to run into and out of Hull Docks, strongly supported by The Northern Way, Yorkshire Forward and Humber Ports. Brigg Line upgrade - 9 million
to allow direct freight access to the midlands, avoiding Doncaster York Holgate junction 4th track - 1 million
to give greater flexibility for train movements and reduce delay Wakefield Westgate new platform - 1.4 million
to improve movements of trains through the station and improve performance, strongly supported by the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive Shaftholme Junction improvements - 0.6 million
to improve flexibility North of Doncaster on the East Coast Mainline Darlington south junction improvements- 0.4 million
resignalling to allow greater flexibility moving trains into and out of the station, thus reducing delay Leeds station south entrance development - 0.6 million
to consider installing a new entrance, improving access to address growing passenger demand King Edward bridge linespeed- 0.6 million
to improve performance Northern W10 - Freight feasibility study - 0.6 million
to establish if improvements to allow the transport of large containers between key northern ports and their markets in East and West Midlands, the north of England and central Scotland has a sound business case. Supported by Yorkshire Forward. Network Rail continues to take forward the massive infrastructure and enhancement projects that have yet to receive full funding approval. The Thameslink upgrade programme remains a key priority with work also continuing on redevelopment plans for Birmingham New Street and Reading. Mr Armitt concluded: "We are taking action now to expand the rail network and help relieve crowding on the network. But we want to do even more and will be outlining in the autumn our longer terms plan for even more growth and expansion on Britain's thriving railway."