Unused freight paths to be removed

[whole diary]

[John R]

https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/rail-freight-industry-and-network-rail-collaborate-to-increase-railway-capacity

Together, Network Rail and freight operators identified 50 per cent of the reserved slots on the railway for freight trains were not being used and could potentially be given up for thousands of new passenger and freight services.

I wonder is that path that irritatingly prevents an earlier running of the 0849 from SWI^» (Swindon - next trains) one of them?

 Edit: Checking RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) it does appear to have gone.

[trainer]

This sounds like good news for potential passengers.  Not so encouraging from a wider environmental point of view if insufficient heavy traffic is being removed from the road.  Likely to lead to fewer cars, though, if more people take the train.

[grahame]

http://www.railtechnologymagazine.com/Rail-News/nr-timetabling-shake-up-to-repurpose-almost-5000-freight-paths-for-passenger-use

A massive timetabling change is being implemented on the rail network over the next two years by Network Rail, which will see 4,702 allocated freight paths per week be relinquished to free up capacity for passenger services. The infrastructure owner says that the vacant paths – slots freight trains have on the railway and in the timetable – can now be used by operators to run additional services or re-time existing services to create a more reliable, less congested railway.

The changes are being implemented after NR^» (Network Rail - home page), working with the freight industry over two years, identified 50% of reserved slots on the railway for freight were not being used and could be turned over for use by passenger trains.
It also follows the Rail Freight Group last year warning the government that freight should not be neglected when implementing reforms after changes announced by transport secretary Chris Grayling included bringing infrastructure management under the remit of TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) in future franchises.

The spare capacity can allegedly be put down to the decline in coal, iron and steel traffic, as well as advances with engineering that have ensured freight operations are run with longer and fuller trains.

Paul McMahon, Network Rail’s managing director for freight and national passenger operators, argued it was important for the whole rail industry to work together to make the best use of network capacity in order to minimise the need for additional expensive capacity enhancement schemes.

“This is a real win-win and has truly been a collaborative piece of work with the freight operators,” he said. “Capacity has been freed up for the whole railway but essential capacity is reserved for freight operators. This is important given the need to support the growth of freight on the network to support the economy.”

Russell Mears, chief executive of Freightliner and chair of the Rail Delivery Group (RDG^‡(resolve)) Freight Group, explained that freight operators worked together with the infrastructure owner in an “effective and pragmatic way for the wider industry good”.

“Whilst retaining some key paths as strategic capacity to support future freight growth, the release of other residual paths is essential in helping the government get the best value for money from our capacity constrained railway,” added Mears.
A spokesperson for the RDG also underlined the importance of the railway for Britain’s jobs and economy.

“The railway has become one of the busiest in the world with thousands more trains running and passenger numbers doubling in the last 20 years, which is why rail companies are working together to deliver more than £50bn of improvements and harnessing technology to run services more efficiently and reliably,” the spokesperson stated.

“Rail freight companies are more efficient than ever before by using longer trains and modern technology, and working with NR they have made more room on the network for extra services.”

[grahame]

https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/rail-freight-industry-and-network-rail-collaborate-to-increase-railway-capacity

Together, Network Rail and freight operators identified 50 per cent of the reserved slots on the railway for freight trains were not being used and could potentially be given up for thousands of new passenger and freight services.

I wonder is that path that irritatingly prevents an earlier running of the 0849 from SWI^» (Swindon - next trains) one of them?

 Edit: Checking RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) it does appear to have gone.

Hope so - though being an MOD service, I'm not sure it was actually shown ... I will be following up.

Any objection to me shifting this thread onto "Across the West" as others might be interested too

[bobm]

Hope so - though being an MOD service, I'm not sure it was actually shown ... I will be following up.

I think, certainly more recently, it was shown as I used to check periodically to see if it had actually run.

[John R]

Yes it was shown in recent months as I was doing the same as you Bobm. Never once saw it run so gave up in the end!

[Chris from Nailsea]

Any objection to me shifting this thread onto "Across the West" as others might be interested too

In the absence of any objection, I've now moved this topic as described. CfN. 

[grahame]

Any objection to me shifting this thread onto "Across the West" as others might be interested too

In the absence of any objection, I've now moved this topic as described. CfN. 

Moved from the TransWilts CRP^▸ (Community Rail Partnership) board, by the way, as it's developed to general interest.

On TransWilts, we've been pulling our hair out about a freight train path for what's seemed to be a phantom train that's prevented Casper and his friends running back from Swindon to Westbury soon after he arrives there at 08:19. (denying us a southbound morning peak service).

By leaving at 08:36, he could be at Chippenham at 08:53, Melksham at 09:03, Trowbridge at 09:12 and Westbury at 09:21.   That would allow many people at big employers south of Chippenham who are on flexitime to be able to reach work for a sign on by 09:30, and people to connect to Warminster and Salisbury, and to Frome, Yeovil and Weymouth at Westbury.   And as most trips are day returns, this would also help boost numbers on the 16:21 and 18:32 from Westbury back. 

But setting off at 08:49, he dawdles behind the phantom freight and only gets to Trowbridge at 09:32 and Westbury at 09:42, rather late for flexitime core hour limits, and shortly after those lovely connections have left.   And because potential customers have used their cars, his laggardly timing just after breakfast reduced the load he carries in the early evening.

The thread has gone "general" because (it transpires) large numbers of freight paths have been released and there might be other opportunities across our region where phantom paths get in the way.

If you're reading this on "Recent posts", can I suggest you click on the title as that will let you read the whole topic to date.

[devonexpress]

Whilst this is brilliant news I can't help wonder why this wasn't done much sooner, and how many more phantom paths are still being unused, however, it is good to see NR^» (Network Rail - home page) finally getting on top of this, hopefully it will lead to better connections and improved reliability across much of the network.

[onthecushions]

If all these paths were booked but unused (and denied to other traffic) were they paid for?

Also where could they benefit us - South Wales - Didcot, now that the "A" station is gone?

A pity that it reflects continuing industrial decline.

Curious,

OTC