Research and Reports

Northern Sparks

Three criteria used in assessing the 32 lines were weighted such that Economic Benefits were allocated up to half of the marks. The Impact of Services (diesel train kilometres replaced per electrified kilometres) took 30%, and rolling stock capacity and quality accounted for the remaining 20%. The maximum score was normalised to be 100, and the lines were then ranked and placed into three tiers - those scoring over 60 are in Tier 1, 40-60 is Tier 2, below 40 is Tier 3. One aspect to bear in mind when examining this ranking is that the Task Force’s remit was to use only the current timetable, and also only to consider intra-North services, for example not those that serve, or could serve, London. The top-scoring line was the Calder Valley with 84 points: the lowest, with a score of 7, went to the Skipton-Morecambe line. The Task Force’s recommendation to the Transport Secretary is that the 12 Tier 1 lines, amounting to 1,450 single track kilometress (900 single track miles or roughly 450 route miles) should be wired in CP6, that is before March 2024.