East Coast Main Line Route Utilisation Strategy

The East Coast Main Line <a href="/facts/Route_Utilisation_Strategy/7rGglEEa">Route Utilisation Strategy</a> (RUS), published by <a href="/facts/Network_Rail/B7RcLTwY">Network Rail</a> in February 2008, was the seventh RUS.
RUSs are <a href="/facts/Route_Utilisation_Strategy/7rGglEEa">established</a> by the <a href="/facts/Office_of_Rail_Regulation/LUHFXHF3">Office of Rail Regulation</a> (ORR) unless the latter objects within 60 days. A letter formally confirming establishment, but with some qualifications, was sent by ORR to NR in April 2008, and the RUS is included in NR's map as established.
The scope includes the whole of Strategic Route 8 - <a href="/facts/East_Coast_Main_Line/8SdfFM57">East Coast Main Line</a> and Route 9 - North East Routes, and part of Route 5 (the <a href="/facts/Hitchin_railway_station/W3qjp12T">Hitchin</a>-<a href="/facts/Cambridge_railway_station/YJe6E7fC">Cambridge</a> line). Not strictly within the scope but relevant to the service mix forming present and future utilisation of the RUS area are parts of Route 11 (to <a href="/facts/Sheffield_railway_station/YS8JktMu">Sheffield</a> and to <a href="/facts/Lincoln_railway_station/ElTlgCMD">Lincoln</a>, and the diversionary joint GN/GE route from <a href="/facts/Peterborough_railway_station/JoE8CgBJ">Peterborough</a> to <a href="/facts/Doncaster_railway_station/6H6aM4kR">Doncaster</a> via Lincoln), Route 10 (to <a href="/facts/Hull_Paragon_Interchange/j7w3HUyB">Hull</a> and to <a href="/facts/Bradford_Interchange/BWtAKbLl">Bradford</a>) and Route 24 (to <a href="/facts/Aberdeen_railway_station/XyqHDXvG">Aberdeen</a>).
As with other RUSs, the ECMLRUS took into account a number of responses, including the <a href="/facts/Office_of_Rail_Regulation/LUHFXHF3">Office of Rail Regulation</a> (ORR).
The routes and services covered by the RUS are varied in type. At the London end and in the vicinity of other major cities are inner suburban and metro-like services, which are vital commuter routes; across the RUS area there are cross-country and fast medium-distance passenger services, including inter-city services; there are long-distance (and in the British context very long distance) high-speed passenger services (LDHS) from London to a number of major cities in Scotland and northern England; and there are significant freight flows that use part of the area. A number of issues arise from the mix and intensity of these services, and the RUS addresses these in 10 groups.
Some issues are closely related to other RUSs: <a href="/facts/Scotland_Route_Utilisation_Strategy/2sw8zP0R">Scotland RUS</a> (<a href="/facts/Edinburgh_Waverley_railway_station/bx3MnKbS">Edinburgh Waverley</a> station and Portobello junction); <a href="/facts/Freight_Route_Utilisation_Strategy/2r5x9oFo">Freight RUS</a>.
Some issues were passed to later RUSs: <a href="/facts/Lancashire_and_Cumbria_Route_Utilisation_Strategy/dnX0EM9f">Lancashire & Cumbria</a> Yorkshire & Humber (Y&H RUS), the <a href="/facts/Network_Route_Utilisation_Strategy/v6e03cy2">Network RUS</a>, West Coast Main Line (<a href="/facts/West_Coast_Main_Line/sa9gUhtH">WCML</a>).
The RUS needs to be seen against existing contingent and prospective schemes, especially against the <a href="/facts/Thameslink_Programme/K1wrj4bp">Thameslink</a> project, which will see a step-change in services continuing through central London onto the network south of London. The timing of some interventions identified in the RUS are dependent on certain works in this programme being brought forward.

East Coast Main Line Route Utilisation Strategy open-in-new

East Coast Main Line Route Utilisation Strategy