Scotland Route Utilisation Strategy

The Scotland Route Utilisation Strategy is a Route Utilisation Strategy, published by Network Rail in March 2007,[1] the third RUS to be published. The railways in Scotland are divided into three strategic routes, namely Route 24 (East of Scotland), Route 25 (Highlands) and Route 26 (Strathclyde and South West Scotland) together with parts of Route 8 (East Coast Main Line, ECML) and Route 18 (West Coast Main Line, WCML). The three strategic routes form the scope of Network Rail's Scotland Route Utilisation Strategy. Separate RUSs for the ECML (published February 2008) and WCML (scheduled for publication late in 2009) encompass the relevant parts of routes 8 and 18. The Edinburgh Crossrail service, which provides a direct route between Stirling, Dunblane and Bathgate in the west to Newcraighall in the east, operates over part of the ECML east of Edinburgh Waverley to Portobello Junction.

The recommendations are grouped into each strategic route, and, as has become customary with RUSs, provide short-term (to end of CP3, March 2009), medium-term (CP4, 2014) and some long-term (thereafter) solutions. Essentially there are few major recommendations for the lightly used Route 25, but there are various and diverse recommendation for the other two, heavily used, routes. There are urgent issues to do with overcrowding in the peaks and with the capacity of individual lines and station, especially in the light of significant predicted growth in traffic (passenger and also freight).

Scotland, with its devolved government and Parliament responsible for transport in the nation, has been very active in pursuing the possible development of the rail infrastructure. At the time of the study and its publication there were a number of contingent projects at various stages, but mostly with capital funding already identified. These include:

Specific measures recommended

Route 24 - East of Scotland

Short term

Medium term

Long term

Route 25 - Highlands

Short term

Medium term

Long term

Route 26 - Glasgow and South West Scotland

Short term

Medium term

Long term

Subsequent developments

The line between Stirling and Kincardine has reopened; an hourly passenger service operates between Stirling and Alloa only, and freight runs over the whole route.

The current remodelling of Edinburgh Waverley station is complete; further improvement in pedestrian access is planned.[4]

Revamped, electrified line, double-tracked throughout, between Airdrie and Bathgate, including reopening the Drumgelloch to Bathgate route, is to be completed by late 2010.

The Edinburgh Airport Rail Link has been suspended and mothballed,[5] in favour of a tramlink interchange and extension.

National Express East Coast have taken over the ECML franchise.

References

  1. NR Scotland RUS
  2. Edinburgh Waverley Infrastructure Works
  3. Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine reopening
  4. Waverley Steps project
  5. EARL project suspended
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