Title: PICKING UP THE GAUNTLET: RESPONDING TO THE CAPACITY CHALLENGE
Abstract: The biggest challenge facing the British rail industry today could be the provision of sufficient capacity on the UK rail network. This issue is especially acute in the rail freight sector. Freight operators, supported by the Government, are striving to expand their business very rapidly in ten years. This paper discusses how they can meet this challenge, with special reference to the strategy of English, Welsh & Scottish (EWS) Railway. Despite its mixed reception, the policy of rail privatisation liberated the freight sector of the industry. Until recently, rail freight bad been declining since the 1950s, due to a decline of the heavy industries that rail served well and the creation of a publicly funded motorway network significantly increasing road haulage efficiency. EWS adopted a fourfold growth strategy, that had been very successful in its sister companies in the USA and New Zealand: investment, customer service, cost reduction, and market development. EWS hopes to triple its business in ten years. It has analysed its growth forecasts, and converted them into requirements for increased track capacity, and identified main lines needing most improvement. Solutions will be based on timetabling, additional infrastructure, better capability of existing track, and financing. For the covering abstract see IRRD E104573.
Publication Year: 1999
Publication Date: 1999-09-01
Language: en
Type: article
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