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Monday 8 Sep 2008

END IN SIGHT FOR WEST COAST PROJECT AS MAJOR WORK COMPLETED

Region & Route:

National

The introduction of almost 400 new services a day are a step closer today as a programme of major investment work on the west coast main line was completed.

Passengers and freight users are set to enjoy massive benefits from the £9bn project once completed in December. The project delivers a huge increase in services across the route and faster and more comfortable journeys through the introduction of a new timetable across the entire 400 miles of the west coast route.

Peter Strachan, Network Rail route director, said: "The end is now in sight for the project and the prize of a bigger, better railway for passengers and freight users is only a few more steps away. December will see a massive increase in services along the west coast main line and a dramatic cut in journey times."

Over 4,000 engineers have been working since the August bank holiday to improve the railway at seven major locations covering over 130 miles of the west coast main line.

The seven locations of major improvement work were:

· Lichfield, Tamworth, Rugeley, Atherstone - new signalling, lengthening platforms, new track and points and overhead line work - completed on time and re-opened today

· Nuneaton - new signalling, new track and new points - completed on time and re-opened today

· Stoke area - new track and overhead line and signalling work - completed on time and re-opened on Monday 1st September

· Rugby - opened two new platforms, new subway, refurbishment of 450m flyover, new track, new points and signalling and overhead line work - completed on time and re-opened on Wednesday 27th August

· Milton Keynes - new track and extending a platform - completed on time and re-opened on Tuesday 26th August

· Berkhamsted (nr Hemel Hempstead) - refurbishment of the subway - completed on time and re-opened on Tuesday 26th August

· Harlesden (nr Willesden) - new track and new sets of points - completed on time and re-opened on Tuesday 26th August

Andy Thomas, operations director at London Midland, said: "We are pleased that this major milestone in the west coast main line modernisation has now been achieved - from December, it will allow us to run more frequent services on some of our most popular routes, and to serve some destinations that have not had a rail service for a few years.

"Chris Gibb, chief operating officer for Virgin Trains said: "I apologise to our customers for the extended journey times and lower frequencies they have experienced over the last two weeks. From today, we shall be offering normal weekday schedules and will be doing everything possible along with Network Rail to ensure good levels of performance"

Work continues on the project during weekday nights and at weekends with the key remaining piece of work being the bringing into operation the new signalling and track layout in and around Rugby in November.

The new timetable will be introduced on Sunday 14th December 2008 with almost 375 new services. Initially 95% of the services will be implemented from 14th December with the remaining 5% being phased in at the end of January 2009 to help deliver a smooth introduction of the new timetable taking the total number of new services to 390.

From December all the substantial gains of the new timetable will be delivered:

• Three Virgin trains per hour to Birmingham
• Three Virgin trains per hour to Manchester
• 50% increase in Sunday services, with the number of weekend services closely resembling today's weekday service
• New London Midland services to Liverpool and London
• Massive cut in journey time including:

Before project New timetable

Birmingham New Street 1hr 43 1hr 23

Manchester 2hr 41 1 hr 58

Liverpool 2hr 53 2hr 07

Glasgow 5hr 06 4hr 09