Tuesday, November 18 2008
Transport planner JMP has been commissioned to provide an update statement on the North East Regional Rail Strategy, to include all wide ranging developments in the region and the rail industry since the current strategy was adopted four years ago.
The objective is to identify changes in the North East and in the rail industry, assess their significance and provide an interpretation in the form of a discussion document to assist in formulation of the Integrated Regional Strategy (IRS).
At the time the current strategy was adopted the North East Assembly called for improved north and south links via the East Coast Main Line and the provision of better quality public transport between the two city regions of Tees Valley and Tyne & Wear.
The Assembly highlighted five priorities that should be progressed in parallel – the East Coast Main Line, City Regions, Rail Freight Access to/from Regeneration Areas and Sustainability.
JMP, which revised and updated the current strategy in 2004, has been commissioned to provide a well argued critique of the role that rail can and should be expected to play in supporting delivery of the IRS, and the challenges that will have to be met if it is to be successful in these aims.
Account will be taken of the proposals for Metro Re-invigoration and developing proposals for a Tees Valley Metro and a number of national initiatives.
These include the Eddington Report “Towards a Sustainable Transport System” – setting out government investment and policy plans to 2014 - the White Paper on delivering a sustainable railway and the accompanying High Level Output Statement, together with the Network Rail Business Plan published earlier this year.