Link-Gov.Org

A multi-million pound rail scheme to create an enhanced freight route through London is set to improve performance and capacity on a key link and ease pressure on Britain's roads, Secretary of State for Transport Geoff Hoon announced today.

Work will commence in 2012 and will enable freight services to grow alongside passenger services.

A major element of the £54 million North London Route Improvement Plan will see the line to Camden Road doubled in size from two tracks to four.

Geoff Hoon said:

"We are increasing the capacity of this line because we want to make it easier for companies to transport goods across the county by rail which will ultimately mean there are fewer trucks and lorries on Britain's roads.

"Passengers will also benefit from the extra lines because services will be better equipped to cope in the event of unexpected disruption or planned engineering works. It will also spread the load on the network preventing bottlenecks."

The project, which also includes improvements to signalling and track layout, will start in 2012 after the London Olympics and will be completed in 2014.

1. The North London Line is an increasingly busy passenger route connecting east, west and north London communities and a vital cross-London trunk route for freight, connecting North Thameside, the Great Western, West Coast and Great Eastern main lines and routes south of the River Thames.

2. It is the primary route for maritime traffic between the Port of Felixstowe and the Midlands, North West and Scotland, as well as for aggregate traffic originating in the Mendips destined for North Thameside and Essex. There is also some Channel Tunnel traffic on the route.

3. In 2011 London Gateway port will come on stream, creating a need for additional freight paths.

4. Transport for London is committed to investing in the first phase of the North London Route Improvement Plan (NLRIP) in order to enhance the passenger service frequency. This work will be carried out from 2009-2011, being completed in time for the Olympics.

5. The freight enhancement element, allowing additional freight trains to operate on the line, would be carried out as a second phase of work, starting after the Olympics and set for completion by early 2014.

6. The freight scheme is currently worked up to Network Rail's project planning ('GRIP') stage 3 with an estimated cost of £54 million

Email (will not be published)

Name

Title

Comment
 remaining characters

Post