The Wessex Route Study has been in development since December 2013 and has now been published as a draft for consultation. This consultation period will run from the date of publication, 20 November 2014, to 18 February 2015.
The study sets out a strategy for the development of the Wessex route to meet capacity and connectivity conditional outputs identified in the Market Studies, published in October 2013.
The Wessex route is a significant generator for freight with key intermodal freight facilities located in the Southampton area transporting goods to the North and Midlands. In addition to intermodal traffic the route also supports other freight flows such as construction materials and oil traffic. The study identifies a number of constraints across the network, the most significant of which is on-train crowding and capacity on peak services into London Waterloo. Other constraints examined include regional and suburban connectivity, freight capacity and access to diversionary routes.
The study identifies a range of choices for funders for Control Period 6 (2019-2024) which seek to address these constraints through additional services to accommodate the growth in passenger and freight services whilst maintaining performance, as well as through national programmes such as the Electrification Programme.
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