New Lines Programme

We are pleased to announce the publication of our Strategic Business Case for New Lines.

We are publishing this at a time when more passengers are choosing to travel by rail than at any time for sixty years. The railway is safer than it has ever been, and punctuality is at its highest since records began
Network Rail, as the operator of Britain’s rail infrastructure, has undertaken a study to examine the strategic case for New Lines and help shape the future of our railways.

The key aim of the New Line project is to meet future demands for additional rail capacity from passengers and freight users. A new line will provide additional capacity in two ways:

Through the provision of capacity on the new line itself
Through the associated release of capacity on the classic rail network

The New Lines Programme has demonstrated that there is good value for money case for New Lines, which would meet the national objectives through:

Providing the necessary future additional passenger capacity on the national rail network through the development of a value for money new line intervention
Relieving future passenger and freight capacity constraints and improve connectivity on the classic rail network
Supporting national economic competitiveness and growth by improving connectivity between key economic markets
Supporting the government’s targets for reducing transport emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, by encouraging modal shift from air and road to rail
Promoting greater equality of opportunity by improving accessibility to key markets through the significant reduction of journey times between them

The strategic business case document and other supporting analysis can be found below. Responses can be emailed to NewLinesProgramme@networkrail.co.uk or posted to New Lines Programme, Route Planning, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London, N1 9AG.

If you would like to hear more information as it becomes available, please submit your email address.

Email address

Main documents

Title	Description
Synopsis	A summary of the Programme aims, objectives and the business case
Strategic business case	Detailed documents containing the objectives, processes, methodology, assumptions and the business case for New Lines

Supporting documents

Title	Description
High speed rail investment; an overview of the literature	Literature review by Prof. Chris Nash on the motivation for other countries that have invested in high speed rail and the lessons learnt
Capacity analysis	Document testing the hypothesis that in future there will be a gap between railway demand and capacity to meet the demand
Option development	Explanation of the assessment criteria and the approach taken for option development
Demand forecasting technical note	Technical note describing the approach taken for demand and revenue forecasting
Stated preference survey report	Description of the stated preference survey conducted for New Lines
Comparing environmental impact of conventional and high speed rail	A comparison between conventional rail and high speed rail with respect to energy and environmental effects