New controls are cutting rail delays

Print Print page   Download PDF PDF image

Rail chiefs are promising passengers reduced delays on some journeys between London and Scotland after the launch of a new control centre.

The London North Western Integrated Control Centre is the seventh Centre created by train operators and Network Rail. According to Network Rail, the Centres are helping to reduce the length of delays by up to 30%.

The Centres speed up decision-making by bringing together staff from different rail companies and organisations under one roof.

Darling opens centre

On 8 June 2005, Secretary of State for Transport, Alistair Darling MP, formally opened the latest centre, situated in Birmingham. At the launch Mr Darling said:

"I'm extremely pleased with the positive results we are seeing from the new Centres. They have cut delays and help provide a more reliable railway for passengers."

The new Centre oversees the operational movement of trains throughout the West Midlands and on the West Coast Main Line from London to Staffordshire. Later this year, it will extend its main line control to the Scottish border.

Some 200 staff from Network Rail, Central Trains and Virgin Trains work together in the largest of the seven centres. Up to 50 people work with one another on any one shift.

Reducing rail delays

The potential impact of Centres was highlighted in the Department's 'Future of Rail' policies launched in July 2004. The first centre opened in Waterloo in February 2004 and covers the Wessex area. Network Rail figures about the Waterloo centre showed that:

  • overall delays were down 30% over an eight-month period,
  • delays per incident were down 35% over an eight-month period, and
  • an on-going reduction of major delays lasting over 25 hours.

Centre staff primarily help services get back to normal after an incident. Incidents include such problems as points failure and train breakdown.

It can take up to half a day or longer to end delays particularly if trains or rail crews are in the wrong place.

Network Rail chief executive, John Armitt explained:

"Decision-making is done face-to-face with colleagues co-located in the same area rather than having to make telephone calls to remote offices. The benefits that this brings can be passed on to passengers by reducing inconvenience to them when things do go wrong."

Also, with one single centre manager, decisions can be taken for the benefit of passengers and the whole network.

By June 2005, the other Centres were in the following locations:

Location

Network Rail route

Principal train operator

Waterloo

Wessex

South West Trains

Blackfriars

Kent

South Eastern Trains

Croydon

Sussex

Southern

Swindon

Western

First Great Western

Glasgow

Scotland

First ScotRail

Liverpool Street

Anglia

One

Improving rail services

The Control Centre programme is one initiative supported by the Department for Transport that aims to improve the rail network. During the 2005/06 year, the Department will be spending £87m every week on the railways.

Another major initiative is The Railways Act 2005, passed in April. It implements proposals set out in 'The Future of Rail'. The Act creates a more cost effective, efficient structure for the industry to take Britain's railways through the next 30 years.

Rail is carrying record numbers of passengers. During 2003/04, there were 1 billion passenger journeys - more than at any time for around 40 years.

Published: 13 June 2005.