Delivering the West Coast Upgrade

On 28 February 2008, the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) issued Network Rail with a ‘Provisional Order’. This Provisional Order required Network Rail to produce and deliver to ORR a Plan demonstrating how we would provide the infrastructure capability required to deliver significant timetable improvements on the West Coast Main Line currently scheduled for December 2008.

The final Plan was delivered to ORR, following consultation, on 31 March 2008 in accordance with the timescales as set out in ORR’s Provisional Order. On 2 May 2008 ORR announced that Network Rail had satisfied the requirements of ORR’s provisional order and subject to securing the necessary possession access, Network Rail is now planning to complete the substantial delivery of the West Coast Route Modernisation Programme by December 2008.

Network Rail recognises that the completion of these remaining works will inevitably cause disruption to services on the West Coast Main Line until the end of the year. Whilst this is clearly regrettable, Network Rail is working closely with passenger and freight operating companies to minimise the impact of these works on train services.