West Coast Main Line (WCML) Short term: Freight operators' requirements to be included in the December 2008 recasting of the WCML timetable; some services to be rerouted away from
Stafford, via
Macclesfield; new loop at
Hartford, Cheshire.
Medium term: Electric haulage of some new freight traffic between
Crewe/
Warrington and
Carlisle/
Glasgow; diversion of some services via the
Settle and Carlisle route; W10 and extra capacity between
Peterborough and
Nuneaton to provide five additional paths from
Felixstowe to Nuneaton, avoiding the southern part of the WCML.
Long term: Infrastructure to allow the lengthening of container trains serving the Haven ports (see below) from 24 to 30 waggons; major enhancements in the Stafford area and to the Felixstowe to Nuneaton route (the latter to allow more capacity, to avoid the southern WCML).
Anglo-Scottish coal route This route is from the
Ayrshire coast and open-cast mines to the Aire and Trent valley power stations. Recommendations are mainly short term, involving redoubling of the Annan-Gretna route and speeding up the junction with the WCML, and signalling enhancements to the Settle and Carlisle route.
Haven ports to the WCML The Haven ports are Felistowe, Ipswich (F2N), and Harwich.
Short term: Capacity upgrades paid for by
Hutchison Ports UK in return for planning permission for port expansion, including W10 clearance between Ipswich and Doncaster via Peterborough; growth in demand to be accommodated via the
North London line (NLL).
Medium term: W10 clearance west of the
East Coast Main Line (ECML) to Leicester and Nuneaton, together with other capacity enhancements to avoid the southern part of the WCML; also W10 clearance of the
Barking to Gospel Oak line to allow trains from North Thameside to avoid the NLL, leaving more paths for Haven ports trains.
Long term: Infrastructure to allow the lengthening of container trains from 24 to 30 waggons.
East Coast ports to the Aire and Trent Valley power stations For this purpose the East Coast ports are
Blyth,
Tyneside,
Teesport (Redcar),
Hull and
Immingham.
Short term: Timetable changes and train lengthening to/from Immingham (already implemented by the time of the RUS publication);
Brigg line and Wrawby junction enhancements; Hull Docks branch partial doubling; restoring of Boldon East curve to provide access to Durham Coast line avoiding congested parts of ECML.
Medium term: A loop on the Killingholme branch line (former
Barton and Immingham Light Railway track) near Immingham; a chord from the Brigg line to
Cottam Power Station, providing direct access from Immingham; signalling enhancement at
Selby and a loop at nearby
Barlby, allowing lengthening of trains to/from Hull.
Long term: Protection of the route of the mothballed
Leamside Line near Tyneside.
Southampton to WCML Short term: Signalling enhancements on the route from
Leamington to the WCML via Birmingham (this route provides an alternative to the most direct route via
Coventry and Nuneaton).
Medium term: W10 clearance of • the core route via Eastleigh, Reading West Jct, Leamington and Nuneaton • the alternative Leamington-WCML route via Birmingham (
Sutton Park Line) • possibly southern diversionary routes via
Melksham and/or Laverstock/
Andover.
Long term: Possible grade separation at Reading West Jct. == Subsequent developments ==