Work to electrify the TransPennine and Midland Mainline railways will resume under plans announced today.
The new plan changes the phasing of the projects by between two and three years, but would see planning and design work resume immediately.
Electrification work on the TransPennine route will restart in early 2018, with some enabling works carried out before then, with completion set for 2022, compared with 2019 before.
On the Midlands Mainline, works will restart to electrify the line north from Bedford to Kettering and Corby by 2019, two years later than previously anticipated.
The line North of Kettering to Derby/Nottingham and Sheffield would be electrified in stages by 2023, instead of 2019 and 2020 as previously planned.
Sir Peter Hendy, who was commissioned by Government, to reset Network Rail’s upgrade programme recommended the move in a letter to Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin.
He said: “You commissioned my review as a result of both cost pressures and time delays and I am continuing work to set out the extent of the already evident likely funding shortfall in CP5.”
“I understand that the Government acknowledges that unpausing now will create a further significant spending pressure.”
“My replan will set out what Network Rail can do within its own resources to mitigate the impact to the rest of the affordable programme.”
“Of course, a considerable amount of the electrification costs of both schemes will fall outside CP5 and this will form part of the core of CP6 as schemes which will then be underway.”
The Transport Secretary replied: “I have always been clear that these schemes were paused and not cancelled and I am now accepting your advice that work can be restarted.”
“As these two important electrification schemes will connect our great cities with modern, faster and more reliable railways and help create a Northern Powerhouse, I would be grateful if they could be un-paused with immediate effect and progressed with some urgency.”
Sir Peter will submit his full plan for Network Rail’s re-plan in November ahead of the Government spending review.
This story is by constructionenquirer.com
