Mr John Dark
By email: / Network RailFreedom of Information
The Quadrant
Elder Gate
Milton Keynes
MK9 1EN
T 01908 782405
E
5th November 2015
Network Rail Infrastructure Limited Registered Office: Network Rail, 2nd Floor, One Eversholt Street, London, NW1 2DN Registered in England and Wales No. 2904587
Dear Mr Dark
Information request
Reference number: FOI2015/00976
Thank you for your request of 08 October 2015. You requested the following information:
“1) Please can you tell me if you have any current plans to change the rail service between Reading and Waterloo using the line past the south of Wokingham and what the names of those plans are so that I can research them further.
2) What is the current frequency of trains using the Reading to Waterloo Line which cause the closure of each of the Wokingham Level Crossings?
3) Currently how many trains a day travel on the Reading -> Waterloo Line causing a closure of the level crossings.
4) By year, how many trains a day travel on the Reading -> Waterloo Line causing a closure of the level crossings. From 2000 to the current date.
5) What is your estimate of closure time of each of those level crossings per closure.
6) What are your current plans to close any level crossings in Wokingham.
7) What are your current plans to build bridges or tunnels in Wokingham.
8) Are you aware of any future plans/project/schemes over the next 30 years to change closure rate of level crossings in Wokingham? like Airtrack for example.
When I mention Wokingham I am specifically interested in Wokingham Borough.”
I have processed your request under the Environmental Information Regulations
2004 (EIR) as the information requested is environmental according to the definition
in regulation 2 of the EIR. (Section 39 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA)exempts environmental information from the FOIA, but requires us to consider itunder the EIR).
I can confirm that we hold the information you requested. I will now respond to each of your questions in turn below.
“1) Please can you tell me if you have any current plans to change the rail service between Reading and Waterloo using the line past the south of Wokingham and what the names of those plans are so that I can research them further.”
I can inform you that Network Rail are currently undertaking a programme (The Reading 10 Car Programme) which will lengthen services between Reading and London Waterloo from 8 cars to 10 cars. It is envisaged that the infrastructure will be ready for use from May 2017. This is subject to the availability of the longer train stock and dependent on South West Trains procurement of new rolling stock, which will trigger a rolling stock cascade, part of which forms the 10-car trains.
Full operation of 10-car services on the Windsor Lines is expected to be delivered by the end of our current 5 year control period (CP5) which is April 2019 .With the completion of the Reading 10-car scheme and the works to open up Waterloo International Terminal, it is believed that this will provide enough capacity until beyond CP6(2024). The full impact of 10-car will be re-assessed at the end of CP5.
“2) What is the current frequency of trains using the Reading to Waterloo Line which cause the closure of each of the Wokingham Level Crossings?
3) Currently how many trains a day travel on the Reading -> Waterloo Line causing a closure of the level crossings.
4) By year, how many trains a day travel on the Reading -> Waterloo Line causing a closure of the level crossings. From 2000 to the current date.”
For questions 2, 3 and 4 please see the attached Excel spreadsheets.
This data has been extracted from our Performance database. To source information from this database we require a specific timeframe.
For your request we have used 8th October 2015 – this being the day you made your request. The historic data requested shows similar weekdays (excluding any Bank Holidays). Both spreadsheets show all the train times that ran for that particular day, therefore the train frequency can be calculated by using these times.
Please note we do not hold data back to 2000 as requested and we have provided data for the Reading to London Waterloo service and the London Waterloo to Reading service.
“5) What is your estimate of closure time of each of those level crossings per closure.”
I can advise that estimated level crossing closure times is not information Network Rail hold. However I can inform you that guidance on barrier downtime can be sourced via the following link: Level Crossings Guidance.Operationally, barrier downtime is also susceptible to network failures, train frequency, increased vehicle /pedestrian usage and misuse, all of which can impact upon crossing downtime.
You may be interested to know that with both the Reading 10 car and Feltham Re-signalling programmes, it is not envisaged that there will be a notable increase, with the Wokingham Crossings regarding closures or barrier downtime beyond the current set up. We aim to minimise and improve barrier downtime where possible. I have included a comparative study which was undertaken at White Hart Lane level crossing in Richmond London – which I hope you will find of interest.
6) What are your current plans to close any level crossings in Wokingham.
I can confirm as part of the Feltham Re-signalling Scheme,we are currently in negotiations with Wokingham Borough Council to consider the feasibility of closing Waterloo Level Crossing by building a road bridge over the railway as part of the Eastern Gateway section of the Wokingham Distributor Road. No other changes to the remaining 3 level crossings is currently envisaged.
7) What are your current plans to build bridges or tunnels in Wokingham.
Relating the query specifically to Level Crossings works, there are no other plans which would include the provision of bridges or tunnels.
8) Are you aware of any future plans/project/schemes over the next 30 years to change closure rate of level crossings in Wokingham? like Airtrack for example.
I can advise that besides the aforementioned 10 car projects,we have the on-going Feltham Area Re- signalling Scheme which is likely to be delivered during the next control period (CP6 2019-2024). To further advise, Great Western Railway (GWR) have stated that they will run one extra train per hour throughout the day in the December 2017 timetable. This will mean an additional service direct to Gatwick Airport every hour through Wokingham.
In addition, the Wessex Route has an enhancement strategy up until 2043 and also provides the list of enhancements that we would like to bid for in our next 5 year control period(CP6). This can be accessed via the following link Wessex Route Study
In line with future funding cycles, there will be a number of refreshes to this document over that 30 year period, but this is our strategy based on the growth and demand as we see it now.
If you have any enquiries about this response, please contact me in the first instance at on 01908 782405. Details of your appeal rights are below.
Please remember to quote the reference number at the top of this letter in all future communications.
Yours sincerely,
Rebecca Lindsay
Information Officer
Appeal Rights
If you are unhappy with the way your request has been handled and wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision, please write to theFOI Compliance and Appeals Manager at Network Rail, Freedom of Information, The Quadrant,
Elder Gate, Milton Keynes, MK9 1EN, or by email at request must be submitted within 40 working days of receipt of this letter.
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
Network Rail Infrastructure Limited Registered Office: Network Rail, 2nd Floor, One Eversholt Street, London, NW1 2DN Registered in England and Wales No. 2904587