NETWORK RAIL APPOINTS CREWE 'SUPREMO'

Monday 11 Jun 2007

NETWORK RAIL APPOINTS CREWE 'SUPREMO'

Region & Route:

Network Rail has appointed a senior manager to the position of Principal Commercial Scheme Sponsor to look after the interests of the railway in the Crewe area. The move comes after speculation that the owner of Britain's railways has a scheme to close the existing Crewe station and build a new mainline station in the Basford area, up to one and a half kilometres further south. Andrew Skidmore, who has been in the post since the middle of May, is a well-respected railway manager. He was previously Network Rail's Area General Manager for Merseyside & North Wales, and latterly led the development of the company's 'world class' programme. On taking up his position, Mr Skidmore said: "Network Rail is already developing a major scheme valued in the region of £150 million which involves renewing the signalling system throughout the Crewe area over the next 10 years. As a responsible organisation with the best interests of railway passengers and the industry at the heart of everything we do, it is imperative that we look at the wider picture when investing such large sums of money. "It is for this reason that we have also been looking at the possibility of redesigning the railway track layout in Crewe. At the same time it is sensible to look at whether such redesign, coupled with a relocation of the station, could bring wider benefits such as a more reliable rail service, reduced journey times and increased capacity." Although taking a holistic view of the railway in the Crewe area, Network Rail remains committed to the £38 million Crewe Gateway scheme. Its contribution to the project would be to renew the roof canopies over the station platforms at an additional cost estimated to be between £25 million and £40 million, depending on the design and materials used. Mr Skidmore concluded: "We are aware that looking at the wider issues is causing some concern for the Gateway partners. Understandably, they do not wish to carry out abortive work if the location of the station changes at some time in the future. It is for this reason that I plan to meet with the various stakeholders involved, discuss our ideas with them and come back to them with firm proposals as soon as we possibly can."

Notes to editors

In simple terms, the £38m Gateway scheme involves building a new entrance to the station on Weston Road, a multi-storey car park with 1,100 spaces, improved bus and taxi interchange, better passenger and staff facilities at concourse level. Network Rail will renew the platform canopies and roofs for an additional £25m - £40m Network Rail is planning to invest £150m to renew the signalling in the area by 2015/16 The track layout does not meet modern day requirements and is a constraint to improved performance. For example, fast trains not stopping at Crewe have to slow down to 80mph as they pass through the station, whereas they are capable of doing 125mph; trains from South Wales going to Wilmslow and Manchester have to 'weave' across all the fast lines, effectively blocking train movements in the station until they have departed. If the track layout was redesigned, it may no longer suit the platform arrangements. Should the opportunity be taken to build a new mainline station in the Basford area, thereby delivering benefits to the railway as a whole and relieving traffic congestion in the town centre?

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