While results of the London and South Coast Rail Corridor Study by consultants WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff are awaited, Railfuture has charted a Next Steps guide:
What next?
- the next journey stage starts when DfT publish the WSP | PB transport study, and their decisions based on it
- the investment case will need economic justification
- a stakeholder partnership must identify wider economic benefits unlocked by the transport investment
- a business case must be defined before September 2016 for near-term options to be included in Network Rail's Initial Industry Plan for 2019-24 investment
Deliverable within a decade? Three vital years ahead!
- May '16 - Office of Rail and Road (ORR) due to hold first Control Period 6 (CP6, 2019-24) stakeholder consultation
- July '16 - ORR stakeholder workshops
- Sep '16 - Network Rail (NR) publish Initial Industry Plan for CP6 for consultation
- Feb '17 - ORR advice to Ministers, and requirements for NR's Strategic Business Plan
- July '17 - DfT publish High-Level Output Specification (HLOS) and Statement of Funds Available (SoFA) for CP6
- Jan '18 - NR's Strategic Business Plan (SBP) published, ORR conduct consultation
- Feb '18 - ORR stakeholder workshops on NR's SBP
- Jun '18 - ORR 'draft determination' on NR's SBP, and consultation
- Oct '18 - ORR 'final determination'
- Dec '18 - NR publish draft Delivery Plan, including Enhancements Delivery Plan, for CP6, for consultation
- Mar '19 - Final NR Delivery Plans published for CP6, 2019-24
Deliverable within a decade? With a new franchise
- Apr '19 - CP6 Enhancements Delivery Plan implementation begins
- Nov '19 - Pre-Qualification Questionnaire for new train operator bidders
- Feb '20 - Expressions on Interest invited for the post Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) franchise
- July '20 - Invitation To Tender issued to short-listed bidders
- May '21 - Award of contract for post-GTR franchise
- Sep '21 - GTR franchise due to expire (extendable by DfT for up to two years)
- Sep '23 - latest possible start of new franchise
- Mar '24 - end of CP6 Enhancements Delivery
- May '24 - start of new passenger train services on the additional main line?