All but two RUSs are geographical, mainly regional, in nature. The exceptions are the Freight RUS and the Network RUS, which have the perspective of the network as a whole. The non-regional geographical studies include the East Coast Main Line RUS and West Coast Main Line RUS, which penetrate Scotland, and regions which have their own RUS. All RUSs consider the demands of freight transport, but the Freight RUS looks at the implications of major freight flows for Great Britain as a whole. The Network RUS is divided into four largely self-contained workstreams: long-distance traffic and generic cross-RUS issues; stations; rolling stock and depots; and electrification.
The first stage of each strategy is the preparation and publishing of a scoping document, which is usually produced after a few months. The main part of the study takes place over a period of a year or two, and this concludes with the production and distribution of a draft strategy document. About 12 weeks are allowed for consultation and responses from the rail industry and other entities, following which the final strategy is developed and a final version is published. This is later established by the ORR, unless they have reason to object to the final version.
The scoping document is usually fairly short, sometimes in the form of a presentation.
The strategy document itself normally consists of a fairly standard number of sections: an introduction and explanation of context; a fairly detailed presentation of current services; a forecast of future changes (overwhelmingly increases) in demand; gaps in resources; options for satisfying the demand; the recommended strategy. Other sections may be included, including a section on the consultation process itself specifically in the draft strategy.
The strategies developed so far are related to the Network Rail Control Periods (CP). Up to the publication of the Wales RUS (November 2008), the 'short-term' strategy included those initiatives to the end of CP3; as this finished on 31 March 2009, the short-term activities mentioned in these strategies were mostly underway, at least in the planning process. In general, strategies have an approximate 10-year timescale, taking them into a "long term" corresponding with CP5 (ending in 2019). Strategies from 2009 present specific initiatives towards the end of that period, and sometimes into the next; CP4 (ending in 2014) is the new short-term perspective.
Network Rail has an obligation to maintain RUSs, even after establishment. This would be the case in one or more of the following situations: when there has been a change in circumstances; if ordered to by the ORR; when (for whatever reason) it is clear the recommendations are probably no longer valid. The RUS is revisited using the same methodology. However, in only one case, the East Coast Main Line, has an original RUS been supplemented by a further study. Nevertheless, a further generation of three RUSs are underway, two of them covering a much broader geographical area than the originals, together with an extended timescale.
These are listed in order of publication; they are all established:
The announced RUSs and dates of their publications (all established) are as follows:
NR's introduction to the process http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browseDirectory.aspx?root=&pageid=2895&dir=\RUS%20Documents\Route%20Utilisation%20Strategies ↩
ORR letter approving the programme http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/rus-orrlettonr-230606.pdf ↩
NR letter to ORR on RUS programme http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/rus-nrlettoorr-220606.pdf ↩
Network Rail letter to ORR on programme rescheduling http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/rus-nrlet_201207.pdf ↩
ORR letter approving the revised programme http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/rus-prog_approval_180108.pdf ↩
NR CP4 Delivery Plan http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/5500.aspx ↩
Network RUS introductory page http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browseDirectory.aspx?dir=\RUS%20Documents\Route%20Utilisation%20Strategies\Network&pageid=4449&root=\RUS%20Documents\Route%20Utilisation%20Strategies ↩
NR introduction to second generation RUSs http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browseDirectory.aspx?dir=\RUS%20Documents\Route%20Utilisation%20Strategies\RUS%20Generation%202&pageid=4449&root=\RUS%20Documents\Route%20Utilisation%20Strategies ↩
Long Term Planning Process http://www.networkrail.co.uk/Long-Term-Planning-Process/?cd=1 ↩
"South West Main Line RUS" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20120302212615/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/south%20west%20main%20line/37299%20swml%20rus.pdf ↩
"Cross London RUS" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 19 March 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20070927005221/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/cross%20london/37846%20cross%20london%20rus.pdf ↩
Scotland RUS http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/scotland/scotland%20rus.pdf ↩
"Freight RUS" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20120302212305/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/freight/freight%20rus.pdf ↩
"North West RUS" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 October 2008. Retrieved 19 March 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20081001100739/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/north%20west/north%20west%20rus.pdf ↩
"Greater Anglia RUS" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20110607095713/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/greater%20anglia/great%20anglia%20rus.pdf ↩
"East Coast Main Line RUS" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 May 2008. Retrieved 19 March 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20080529152115/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/east%20coast%20main%20line/east%20coast%20main%20line%20rus.pdf ↩
East Coast Main Line 2016 Capacity Review http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/east%20coast%20main%20line/east%20coast%20main%20line%202016%20capacity%20review/east%20coast%20main%20line%202016%20capacity%20review.pdf ↩
"South London RUS" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 January 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20120119025209/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/south%20london/south%20london%20rus.pdf ↩
"Lancashire and Cumbria RUS" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20110607074821/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/lancashire%20and%20cumbria/lancashire%20and%20cumbria%20rus.pdf ↩
"Wales RUS" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20110607075754/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/wales/wales%20rus.pdf ↩
"Merseyside RUS" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 April 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090407121607/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/merseyside/merseyside%20rus%20.pdf ↩
Network RUS Scenarios & long distance forecasts http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/network/working%20group%201%20–%20scenarios%20and%20long%20distance%20forecasts/network%20rus%20-%20scenarios%20&%20long%20distance%20forecasts.pdf ↩
"Electrification RUS archived" (PDF). http://archive.nr.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/network/working%20group%204%20-%20electrification%20strategy/networkrus_electrification.pdf ↩
"Network RUS Stations" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160314215439/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/network/working%20group%202%20-%20stations/networkrusstations.pdf ↩
"Network RUS Rolling Stock" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 January 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160109135914/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/network/working%20group%203%20-%20passenger%20rolling%20stock%20and%20depots/network%20rus%20-%20passenger%20rolling%20stock.pdf ↩
Yorkshire and Humber RUS http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/yorkshire%20and%20humber/york&humber_rus.pdf ↩
"Kent RUS" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110607015401/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/kent/kent%20rus.pdf ↩
Sussex RUS http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/sussex/sussex%20rus.pdf ↩
"East Midlands RUS" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110607020708/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/east%20midlands/east%20midlands%20rus.pdf ↩
Great Western RUS Archived 1 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/great%20western/great%20western%20rus.pdf ↩
West Midlands & Chilterns RUS http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/west%20midlands%20and%20chilterns/west%20midlands%20and%20chilterns%20route%20utilisation%20strategy%20-%20may%202011.pdf ↩
"West Coast Main Line RUS" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 14 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20121001190637/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/west%20coast%20main%20line/westcoastmainlinerus.pdf ↩
"Northern RUS" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 April 2015. Retrieved 14 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20150410030130/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/rus%20generation%202/northern/northern%20route%20utilisation%20strategy.pdf ↩
Scotland RUS http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/rus%20generation%202/scotland/scottishrusbook.pdf ↩
"London and the South East RUS" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 November 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111127163741/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/rus%20generation%202/london%20and%20south%20east/london%20and%20south%20east%20route%20utilisation%20strategy.pdf ↩