Strategic Freight Network And The TransWilts Line

I have warned for some time that future increases in freight traffic over the TransWilts line could end up restricting the number of paths available for passenger services. With this in mind, I was interested to compare yesterday's DfT release entitled "Strategic Freight Network: The Longer-Term Vision" with previous rail industry statements:

Quote from Network Rail Strategic Business Plan Update 2008:

"To meet the challenge of increased growth in freight from the Southampton ports to the Midlands, the north of England and Scotland, we shall be re-evaluating elements of the former SRA Southampton – West Coast freight upgrade – capacity study, which included W10 gauge provision and revised layout options for Reading West Junction, including grade separation, upgrading and linking existing freight loops and providing additional loops at or between Didcot and Oxford. We are also evaluating the potential for an alternative route via Salisbury and Melksham to accommodate forecast growth."

Quotes from Strategic Freight Network: The Longer-Term Vision:

"As an operating principle, NR should aim to achieve through running of freight trains, seeking timetabling and signalling solutions in preference to looping. This has the potential to deliver significant environmental, operating and economic efficiencies, particularly if delivered alongside existing plans to reduce the level of delays to freight trains."

"New SFN capacity, particularly on key intermodal routes, will be required to meet industry growth forecasts, if this additional traffic is not to be forced onto the congested road network.

Routes for consideration for early capacity enhancement are likely to
include:

- Southampton to WCML – possibly with upgrades to routes and/or examination of alternative routeing options to provide capacity for growth"

Quote from the Future Of Transport White Paper:

"Because of the high up-front investment costs for rail freight, businesses using these services need to be sure about their access to the network. But this has to be balanced with the fact that freight users only pay for the cost of operating their services and not for the costs of the underlying infrastructure. Freight operators will be given greater certainty about their rights on the national network, and a group of key routes will be identified on which freight will enjoy and pay for more assured rights of access."

Quotes from Strategic Freight Network: The Longer-Term Vision:

"The 2007 Rail White Paper defined the SFN as: "a core network of trunk freight routes, capable of accommodating more and longer freight trains, with a selective ability to handle wagons with higher axle loads and greater loading gauge, integrated with and complementing the UK’s existing mixed traffic network."

"An ideal freight network would accommodate optimum size freight train travelling at appropriate line speed, without checks, over optimum routeing to commercially preferred timings. In practical terms this suggests that the SFN should:

- optimise the pattern of freight trunk routeing to minimise passenger/freight conflicts. This may lead to fewer, higher capacity trunk routes/diversionary routes but also to the definition of 'new' trunk routes. This would provide potential gains in reliability, environmental performance and operating cost savings"

So why am I particularly concerned about the possible impact on the TransWilts line?

- The TransWilts line is shown in the SFN Freight and Passenger Network Interaction map as being "interaction with lower frequency services."

- The TransWilts line is shown in Network Rail's Great Western Route Utilisation Strategy Baseline Information as being a "peak only" route for passengers.

My big fear is that the rail industry is planning for a future that includes hardly any TransWilts passenger train services. Therefore, it is vital that we get a proper TransWilts passenger rail service established as soon as possible, before decisions are made that destroy the opportunity to do so.

Please help Save The Train to do that by signing their pledge at http://www.transwilts.org.uk/pledge.html