There is a general feeling that the UK railway network has largely been re-equipped with new trains, Network Rail revitalised and the only issue which remains is train punctuality. Is this a reason for complacency?

A key question we must ask is: are the railways there solely to provide existing levels of service, hopefully at a more realistic cost? Alternatively: are the railways potentially a tool of regeneration and growth? I would contest that the latter is true, particularly in the case of a world city such as London.

Two facts highlight this in London. Firstly, 43% of commutes to work are by National Rail (many with onward ‘tube’ interchange) and secondly, by 2016 the population of London is expected to grow by nearly 800,000. Unless we are to invent a totally new form of transport, this means a requirement to increase the capacity of National Rail services to and within London by approximately 40% by 2025, we are going to incur very serious overcrowding.

I have witnessed what has happened on the Docklands Light Railway. Passenger volumes for the DLR’s first seven years of existence, from 1987, were relatively stable at around eight million per annum. The 2004 figure is 54 million requiring a series of upgrades to the system, extensions and the purchasing of new LRVs.

This trend will continue with the London City Airport extension, which opened in December 2005, followed by a further cross-river extension to Woolwich Arsenal and the conversion of the North London Line, forming a new high capacity cross-river from Stratford International. Put this with an upgrade with the core system to take three LRV trains, the DLR is geared to increase its capacity to 80 million passengers per year, requiring additional trains both for regular business and for the Olympics.

On National Rail, the situation is similar. The East London Line extension is an example of a development designed to serve issues such as regeneration and social inclusion in addition to meeting transportation demand needs. TfL is currently procuring this £900m project in association with Network Rail. This too will require a fleet of trains, running the service onto the National Rail network to West Croydon and Crystal Palace and, in Phase 2, the North London Line.
TfL is working with the Department for Transport regarding the North London Line with a view to transferring the re-franchising to TfL.

There is no point in perpetuating the existing overcrowded service. The aim is to upgrade, subject to funding, to a high frequency Metro style service of eight trains an hour, running from Stratford Regional alternately to Richmond and Clapham Junction via Highbury and Willesden Junction. The OJEU notice for the East London Line provides an option for new high capacity trains for this key route.
Beyond this, we are looking towards an integrated transport solution for London, built around three key rail projects, together with a series of upgrades to the capacity of the National Rail network serving London. This can only be achieved through the effective and developing partnership with the DfT and Network Rail.

The Thameslink and Crossrail schemes are essential, running from north to south, and from west to east respectively; Crossrail extends from the economic hub of Heathrow Airport via West London, the City to Canary Wharf and to Stratford and beyond. These two projects form the basis of an integrated solution to London’s transport needs, complemented by an orbital rail service.

The orbital rail project starts with the East London Line and the North London Line projects with an aim of linking these together as soon as possible and including further linkages to Clapham Junction in South London.

Radial routes from London also require capacity upgrades and this must come from a combination of more trains per hour and more passengers per train. To gain this capacity, a program of lengthening platforms, particularly south of the River Thames is essential, complemented by a series of track capacity upgrades at key junctions, maximising the opportunity brought about by the implementation of the Thameslink and Crossrail projects.
In summary, if London is to have a solution to maintaining growth and indeed London’s ability to sustain and fuel the UK economy, a seven point plan is envisaged:

• Crossrail
• Thameslink
• Capacity enhancement projects on the National Rail network
• Orbital service
• A sustainable UK capacity and routeing strategy for rail freight
• Thames Gateway package, including Docklands Light Railway extensions, East London Line extension and services to Stratford
• 1,500 new rail cars to carry the growth.

Far from being dormant, the rail industry is potentially set to form a key component of the development of London as a world-class Olympic city.