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Research and Reports

A database of documents and reports released by industry bodies. You can download the document by clicking on its title, and can filter reports by author or subject. If you have a report you would like to submit to the Rail Hub, please email [email protected].

 

  • Long Term Passenger rolling stock strategy for the rail industry

    01/03/2017
    Rail Delivery Group SearchResearchItems

    The fifth edition of what has become a regular report argues that with regard to peaks in demand for vehicles: “A completely steady new build programme for rolling stock is unlikely ever to occur.” It says the size of the national rolling stock fleet is expected to “grow by between 41% and 89% over 30 years”; in the more short term, the number of vehicles in service is to climb 15% by 2019 then another 5%-10% by 2024. Some 6,010 vehicles are committed for delivery in Control Period 5 and the early part of CP6, around half of them built in Britain.

  • Spring 2017 Update Report

    01/03/2017
    Transport for the North SearchResearchItems

    Transport for the North says it expects to become England’s first sub-national transport body during this year; this paper details achievements by TfN ‘partner’ organisations in its area during 2016/17, as well as commitments for 2017/18. These commitments include incorporating Rail North into Transport for the North, as well as working on options for High Speed 2 with the Department for Transport, Network Rail and HS2 Ltd.

  • Scotland’s rail infrastructure: the rail industry’s advice for 2019 onwards

    01/02/2017
    Rail Delivery Group SearchResearchItems

    The High Level Output Specification for Scotland is due in summer 2017, and this report represents the RDG’s advice to the Scottish government in the run-up to that. The paper argues that a “good” settlement for the industry will be “one that incentivises the industry, its principal funder and its regulator to improve the collective understanding of what the key drivers of a successful railway are…”

  • Staying on track: How the right funding model can drive skills and technology in the rail industry

    01/02/2017
    Balfour Beatty SearchResearchItems

    While this paper argues that the “ambitious upgrade and enlargement of the UK’s rail infrastructure has the potential to drive economic expansion” it also says that “future success of the rail industry is inextricable from the continuity of funding”. “The projected stop-go pattern of the project pipeline - a function of Network Rail’s funding model and, in a way, its perceived performance - must be addressed and resolved as a matter urgency.”

  • National Infrastructure Assessment consultation

    01/02/2017
    Greengauge 21 SearchResearchItems

    Greengauge 21 previously noted the opportunity to use high-speed infrastructure to “address challenges in related infrastructure areas” such as energy and water networks. This paper argues among other things for a line between High Speed 1 and HS2 “so that Heathrow has high-speed direct access from Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and Frankfurt.” It also says “it is time to recognise Heathrow’s role as a rail hub.” Greengage 21 argues “the best value from high-speed rail is not being achieved because of the lack of a longer term (2050) plan set at a national level.”

  • Rail franchising: Ninth Report of Session 2016-17

    01/02/2017
    House of Commons SearchResearchItems

    This transport committee report recommends an independent review of the Department for Transport’s franchising functions. The wide-ranging paper also recommends reform of track access charges for control period 6; that DfT “publish updates on the financial losses to the taxpayer from the TSGN franchise and set out the options available to recoup these losses”; and “that, as franchises expire, the Department considers whether they can and should be restructured to align better with the specific market they serve.”

  • Independent international connectivity commission report

    01/02/2017
    Transport for the North SearchResearchItems

    Though its focus on international connectivity means it is more wide-ranging, recommendations in this report include connecting Manchester Airport to HS2, Northern Powerhouse Rail and the West Coast Main Line; it also says Liverpool and Newcastle airports should have rail access; and Leeds Bradford should be served by a Parkway station. Other things called for include better East-West rail across the Pennines, and a review of public transport between stations and cruise/ferry terminals.

  • London Business Survey

    01/02/2017
    CBI/CBRE SearchResearchItems

    Respondents to this business survey gave a positive view of Crossrail 2; some 84% of respondents said the potential north-south line was ‘very important’ or ‘important’ to London’s success. That was more even than named a third runway at Heathrow as ‘vital to London\s attractiveness’ (80%) - although it the same figure as believed “new river crossings to the east of the capital would benefit London’s growth enormously.” Some 44% of respondents “believe Crossrail 2 will benefit their business”, the survey reported.

  • Increasing capacity: putting Britain’s railways back on track

    01/01/2017
    Institution of Mechanical Engineers SearchResearchItems

    “Fundamentally, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers believes that society should expect interconnected sustainable transport,” says this report. Although it accepts that there is now a focus on expanding capacity it also says that “‘GB Rail is in heavy catch up mode.” The paper argues that investment must continue. Recommendations include pushing ahead with moving block signalling, pushing forward with innovation, and building new infrastructure to cope with bottlenecks.

  • Autonomous Vehicles: A Potential Game Changer for Urban Mobility

    01/01/2017
    UITP SearchResearchItems

    This report from UITP asks questions such as whether autonomous vehicles will lead to more congestion, or contribute to the “regaining of urban space”. It says studies from MIT (New York), ITF (Lisbon) and VDV (Stuttgart) show “it would be possible to take every citizen to their destination with at least 80% fewer cars!” However, it also reports that public transport “offers the quickest development path to full autonomy because it can start operating in a limited area.”

  • The UK’s productivity problem and how to solve it: the importance of construction in an industrial strategy

    23/12/2016
    Mace SearchResearchItems

    This report says the UK’s quality of infrastructure was 24th on an international scale in 2016 - though that had improved from 27th the previous year. In terms of productivity, it takes a UK worker five days to achieve what a German worker does in four. The paper considers “four main factors that should be looked at to boost output and dramatically speed up delivery.” They are real collaboration; innovation; skills; and community support.

  • How soon is now? The disruption and evolution of logistics and industrial property

    01/12/2016
    Appleshaw Goddard/Blackstock SearchResearchItems

    This wide-ranging report describes rail infrastructure investment as “sorely needed”. It also points out that whereas the costs for moving freight by rail “are competitive over longer distances where they begin or end at a rail terminal” they are higher than ‘pure’ road freight “if goods have to be transported by road to the rail terminal at one, or both, ends of the journey.” By distance, rail accounts for around 12% of freight, it reports, and says “many consider it unlikely that rail will be able to present a simpler and cheaper option than delivering by road for distances of less than 100 miles.” To download this report visit: https://www.addleshawgoddard.com/en/insights/insights-briefings/2016/general/report-how-soon-is-now-the-disruption-and-evolution-of-logistics-and-industrial-property/

  • Unlocking Regional Growth: understanding the drivers of productivity across the UK’s regions and nations

    01/12/2016
    CBI/AECOM SearchResearchItems

    In a wide-ranging report on addressing productivity, on transport the CBI calls for government to “prioritise connecting the UK’s cities outside of London” in the next phase of road and rail investment. Although transport is just one of many factors considered, the report says there is potential to increase the nominal UK gross value added by £208bn over the next ten years. The paper says improved connections between northern England’s cities could provide access to the same number of people as are within an hour of London. It also says cutting travel times to Manchester and Sheffield to 30 minutes could alone raise productivity in Leeds by over 10%.

  • Freight, logistics and supply chain priorities for EU exit negotiations: recommendations to government

    01/12/2016
    The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport SearchResearchItems

    The CILT is calling on government to “engage with the freight transport and logistics industry to form a vision for the UK to challenge for leadership of the WTO’s logistics rankings and establish the requirements to achieve it.” It is among recommendations that also include changing the national curriculum to “include modules on transport and logistics” as the CILT argues its case after the Brexit referendum.

  • Small scale, big impact: Infrastructure and economic regeneration

    10/11/2016
    Balfour Beatty SearchResearchItems

    Infrastructure group Balfour Beatty argues that the UK government “could take advantage of the current ultra-low government borrowing costs to finance spending”. It recommends spending on “shovel ready” infrastructure projects, with rail suggestions including platform extensions, speeding up or accelerating modernisation of London Underground, and improving the Felixstowe docks link. However the paper also argues “this investment should not be undertaken at the expense of larger, strategically important national schemes” - such as High Speed 2.

  • Connecting the UK’s economy: how better access to airports can boost growth

    01/11/2016
    Airport Operators Association SearchResearchItems

    The Airport Operators Association argues that improving average journey times to/from airports by 5% “could deliver a 2.7% increase in passenger numbers, generating an additional £1.9 billion for the UK economy and supporting an additional 32,000 jobs.” For rail, it argues that capacity assessments need to include airport access, as well as calling for government together with Network Rail to set out “how it will make decisions as to which surface access projects at airports will be prioritised”.

  • Consultation on Scotland’s rail infrastructure strategy from 2019

    01/11/2016
    Transport Scotland SearchResearchItems

    The Scottish Government “remains of the view that there are significant benefits to be gained from a fully devolved Network Rail in Scotland”, the administration says in this consultation paper on future strategy; it argues that devolution of rail powers has already been a success. Key aims listed for the future are “improved journey times; reduced emissions; and improved quality, accessibility and affordability.” The consultation also argues for moving to a ‘pipeline’ of schemes, rather than committing “to a list of projects at various stages of development”.

  • Thinking Globally Delivering LocallyCBI/AECOM Infrastructure Survey 2016

    01/11/2016
    CBI/AECOM SearchResearchItems

    More respondents to this survey - 99% - felt delivery of Control Period 5 rail projects were important priorities than those who felt the same about the Road Investment Strategy (97%). Some 75% said having better digital connectivity on trains was “either critical or important”. However, 74% of rail infrastructure providers said they were not confident in Network Rail’s “capacity to deliver the rest of Control Period 5”. Calls for infrastructure investment came against a background that 64% of respondents felt the UK was unlikely to be more internationally competitive in 2050.

  • Bang for buck: the economic value of inter-city connectivity improvements

    01/11/2016
    Mace SearchResearchItems

    Urging the government to boost ‘shovel ready’ projects in both road and rail, this paper from consultancy and construction firm Mace argues that transport infrastructure “is simply vital for growth.” It argues that not all projects must be the huge ones such as High Speed 2 or a third runway at Heathrow - and makes the case for schemes that help regional connectivity.

  • Rail technology: signalling and traffic management

    27/10/2016
    House of Commons SearchResearchItems

    While being clear that digital signalling and traffic management can bring major benefits, the Commons Transport Committee also warns “such improvements are not a panacea… and that moving ahead with caution will help ensure the right interventions are used on the right routes.” It also cautions that if Network Rail “produces over-ambitious plans that then need to be scaled back, it risks discouraging further investment in the UK by rail technology suppliers.” The committee argues for caution in using the claim that 40% more capacity can be created, and says NR should not use the benefits of ETCS Level 3 (moving block) in publicity, “until such technology is ready to be employed.” The Rail Delivery Group has welcomed the Select Committee report. RDG chief executive Paul Plummer said the ‘digital railway’ would be “vital in releasing extra capacity to support future rail growth.”

  • Brexit North: Securing a united voice at the negotiating table

    01/10/2016
    IPPR North SearchResearchItems

    This paper argues there needs to be a ‘Northern Brexit Negotiating Committee’ that would be able to talk with “one voice… rather than to have others shape the debate”. On transport, it argues that Brexit is “likely to generate shifts in flows of people and goods” - and therefore that effective responses are likely to involve transport investment including in rail.

  • Our customers our people: a railway for the digital age

    01/10/2016
    Rail Delivery Group SearchResearchItems

    Arguing for digital systems for the railway, including to help increase capacity and reduce costs, the Rail Delivery Group contends that the “conventional solutions of the past are not enough to accommodate the growing needs of the nation.” It argues that modernisation “is happening at pace in almost all areas of life, yet rail is playing catch up.” The paper also makes the case for driver-only operated trains - quoting a Steer Davies Gleave report (2013) in estimating a 23% reduction in station dwell times.

  • Investing for economic growth: ECMA Research 2016

    01/10/2016
    The Consortium of East Coast Main Line Authorities SearchResearchItems

    This report considers three different cases for future East Coast Main Line development: the ‘VTEC 2020 Scenario’ (what is proposed anyway, from 2020); ‘Silver Standard’ (“an assessment of the best level of service that could be achieved through conventional upgrades to the existing ECML route”); and Gold Standard, which “represents the further benefits over and above the Silver Standard that the development of the eastern leg of HS2 will bring in the form of reduced journey times and the release of capacity on the conventional network.” The report argues that the best Benefit Cost Ratio (3.33) can be obtained from the ‘Gold Standard’, in which schemes on the East Coast Main Line complement the delivery of HS2. Even so, it says the approach taken has been “conservative” to “avoid any ‘double counting’ with the economic case for HS2”. A less conservative estimate puts the BCR at 5.85.

  • Investing in the future: Choices for Scotland’s Railways 2019 and beyond

    23/09/2016
    Rail Delivery Group SearchResearchItems

    Described as a “starting point for discussions”, this paper lays out potential choices for the development of the railway in Scotland. Among other things, it argues that the “key requirement for Scotland’s railways over the next decades is to make best use of existing and future capability”; and that a “specific and clear focus on innovation in Scotland will support the rail industry to work more efficiently.” Z The RDG has also published a series of illustrations for potential future stations, building on its October 2015 report Vision for Stations.

  • Policy Futures for Urban Transport

    16/09/2016
    Urban Transport Group SearchResearchItems

    The Urban Transport Group calls for better East-West links to ensure the most is made of High-Speed 2; for a “long term investment plan for local, inter-regional, and inter-city services”; and extending rail devolution. The recommendations are part of a wider report that also covers buses and modal integration as well as funding. On the latter, recommendations include bringing a longer-term approach to local transport more akin to that taken for national infrastructure.