Network Rail Cross London Route Utilisation Strategy
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This is the second[1] of the route utilisation strategies (RUS) published by Network Rail. It covers mainly orbital railway lines in North London, including the North London Line (NLL), the West London Line (WLL) and the Gospel Oak to Barking line (GoBLin).
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[edit] Present usage of the lines involved
The lines involved provide significant orbital passenger services and important freight routes, as well as other movements, including (currently, October 2007) access to the Eurostar depot (via the WLL).
The most frequent passenger services, 4 trains per hour in each direction during the working week, are on the NLL. The WLL and the GoBLin basically have 2 trains per hour each. There are some additional trains on all lines during peak hours.
Freight services include those having destinations on or near to the lines, as well as cross-country freight movements not originating or terminating in London, for which presently these lines are the most viable route.
[edit] Summary of strategies derived
[edit] Short term recommendations
- additional peak services to overcome the worst of the peak-hour overcrowding. Transport for London (TfL) has funded the provision of at least some of these.
- additional standing space on anticipated new stock
- four-car rather than three-car trains on NLL and WLL, requiring lengthening of many platforms
[edit] Medium term recommendations
Additional services in each direction, all day, per hour:
- two trains between Stratford and Camden Road on the NLL, and onward to Queens Park on the Watford DC Lines
- extending the existing two trains from Clapham to Willesden Junction onwards via the NLL to Gospel Oak and thence over the GoBLin to Barking
- diverting and extending other services on the WLL south-east to the Croydon area
[edit] Longer term (beyond 2014)
- investigating shifting of some freight services to alternative lines, some avoiding the London area, to allow more pathways with a view to achieving at least four passenger trains per hour over all the routes.
[edit] Subsequent developments
Passenger services on most of the lines involved were transferred to the control of TfL on 11 November 2007, and are being rebranded London Overground. TfL and Network Rail are pursuing the recommendations in the RUS. TfL are promising additional/replacement rolling stock commencing in 2008. However, lengthening of trains to four units appears to have been pushed into the medium term, planned for 2011.
