Great Britain’s Department for Transport has published the third document on rolling stock perspectives aimed to approach environmental challenges, new technologies and new mobility requirements. The published perspective analyses the rolling stock market and estimates the need for new trains and wagons for the next years. Also, it sets new objectives and specifications for future trains that should be more effective and developed according to new environmental standards. The number of trains is expected to increase, while for the allocation of franchises, the criteria of performance, accessibility and delivery of sustainable and innovative rolling stock will be conclusive in the attribution of contracts.
Great Britain is in full process of transforming the railways and initiates projects for the modernisation and extension of the railway infrastructure which supports the operators’ activity and the final objective of delivering efficient and quality services and of increasing the rail transport market share. Safety, reliability, performance, passengers’ experience and capacity are few of the important criteria of a modern transport system adapted to new technologies and mobility requirements which encourage the use of rail transport services.
According to the government’s statistics of January 2017, the British rail network ensures 1.7 billion journeys a year (2015-2016) with a traffic of 64.7 billion passenger-km and revenues from the passenger transport activity of GBP 9.3 billion (EUR 10.5 billion). In the past two decades, rail passenger transport doubled (a 116% increase). In Europe, Great Britain ranks second regarding the number of passengers travelling by rail, after Germany with 2.7 billion passengers. The increasing use of rail transport has affected all rail sectors in the past 20 years, especially in London and South East, amounting to 48% for passenger-km and over 70% of journeys.
In 2015-2016, the government’s support for the rail industry was estimated at GBP 4.8 billion (EUR 5.4 billion), of which GBP 4 billion (EUR 4.5 billion) was the grant allocated to Network Rail, while expenditure for Crossrail and HS2 amounted to GBP 800 million (EUR 903.38 million) an GBP 500 million (EUR 564.6 million) respectively. Rail operators paid the government GBP 800 million. Also, franchise revenues for the passenger segment increased from GBP 2.2 billion (EUR 2.48 billion) in 1994-1955 to GBP 9.3 billion (EUR 10.5 billion) in 2015-2016.
For Great Britain, rail transport is a real economic engine and the authorities adopt measures, support projects and encourage the increase of rail transport market share to stimulate the contribution of this transport mode to the development of economy and mobility.
Another document dedicated to the optimisation of rail transport is the “Rolling stock perspective 2017” through which the authorities set the objectives and approaches of the rolling stock market, provide an evaluation of the market, while sending a clear message to the franchise tendering market and rolling stock industry about the need to optimise this segment.
The increasing rolling stock fleet, estimated by Rail Delivery Group in Long Term Strategy for Passenger Rolling Stock documents shows a continuously strong demand for quality trains.
According to the latest report of Rail Delivery Group (2017), the rolling stock fleet includes 13.377 vehicles of which 51% (6,778 vehicles) have been built in the past 20 years since privatisation and 11% (1,425 vehicles) are owned by ROSCOs (companies that own and lease rolling stock).
An increase in trains’ number
6,010 will be delivered in the Control Period 5 – CP5 and at the beginning of CP6, at a cost of GBP 10 billion (EUR 1.3 billion). Around 50% will be built in Great Britain and by 2021, the average years of the rolling stock fleet will drop from 21 years to 15 years. Nationally, the total number of vehicles in service will increase by 15% until 2019 and by another 5-10% until 2024.
Estimates show that within CP5 (April 2014-March 2019), the total number of vehicles is 4,195 of which 3,189 “pure” electric vehicles, 772 bi-mode vehicles, 141 loco-hauled coaches and 93 diesel vehicles (including 14 diesel locomotives). They will be commissioned in England, Wales and Scotland, including the rail concessions of Transport for London. “This is a very large requirement for new vehicles in a single five-year period, and can be compared with the total of 1,055 new electric and diesel vehicles delivered in CP,” the reports say.
In the period CP5, the ordered or committed rolling stock will be delivered by Bombardier, CAF, Hitachi, Siemens and Stadler Rail. Regarding the number of vehicles, Siemens ranks first with 1,460 units delivered (the biggest contract includes 1,140 units for Cross London Trains, Thameslink Class 700 trains), followed by Bombardier with 1,169 vehicles (the biggest contract includes 504 vehicles for DfT/TfL, Crossrail Class 345 trains), then Hitachi, with 1,066 vehicles (the biggest contract includes 369 vehicles owned by Agility Trains west, GWR Class 800 Bi-Mode trains). Within CP5, 360 vehicles will be delivered by CAF and 120 by Stadler Rail.
Also, in the first part of CP6 (to be held from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2024), 1,815 vehicles will be delivered, of which 1,496 electric vehicles, 258 bi-mode vehicles and 61 diesel vehicles. Bombardier will deliver the biggest number of vehicles, with a total of 755 (of which 665 delivered to Angel Train operator, AEA Aventra electric multiple-units), followed by Stadler Rail with 466 vehicles (the biggest contract includes 208 Merseyrail Type D EMU for Merseytravel), Hitachi, with a total 390 vehicles (270 vehicles type VTEC Class 801, for Agility Trains East) and CAF, with 136 vehicles (for Eversholt Rail, the order including 75 units ARN Class 331).
Within the ARN franchise, the Department for Transport’s decision to eliminate 214 Pacer vehicles triggered the construction of new diesel multiple-units. The procurement of new sleeping coaches for Caledonian Sleeper services, ARN, TPE and AEA franchises, have made two rolling stock suppliers, CAF and Stadler Rail, to access the British market with a series of bi-mode vehicles, EMUs, DMUs and locomotives. “The creation of these new fleet types broadens the range of certified new vehicles available to the wider British market, and may encourage further orders of this kind from these and other manufacturers for other franchises. This is clear evidence of the market responding to a challenge and utilising new technology to produce incremental benefit,” Long Term Passenger Rolling Stock Strategy says.
Trends
For the next three decades, a 41% – 89% increase of the passenger rolling stock is expected at national level. The number of electric units will increase from 71% to over 85% until 2034, while Rail Delivery Group the self-powered fleet will drop from 29% to over 15%.
Rail Delivery Group estimates also rely on scenarios concerning the electrification projects: within the low scenario, a minimum 11,000 electric and bi-mode vehicles will be necessary, of which 7,000 is the increase in the number of electric vehicles and 4,000 vehicles will replace the existing rolling stock which will have over 50 years in the next three decades.
Within the medium scenarios, 13,000 vehicles will be built until 2046, while the high scenario includes 16,000 vehicles. In the next three decades, it will be necessary to build 800-2,300 vehicles capable to run on non-electrified lines.
According to the “Rolling Stock Perspective” published by DfT, there is an increasing competition in the EMU supply market which includes upgrades of trains, the allocation of financing for rolling stock procurement for Thameslink and contracts for new rolling stock procurement signed by the winners of the franchise tenders. Regarding the modernisation of vehicles, the market is dynamic due to the changes made for increasing the accessibility of trains and recent specifications on transforming the rolling stock. To be attractive in this segment, the modernisation has to deliver the advantages of new trains, such as high energy efficiency, passenger-friendly interiors, digital connectivity and prices that reflect market competitive levels.
Competitiveness is also delivered by new-entrants. For example, with their offers, new entrants CAF and Stadler Rail have managed to tackle the lack of “self-powered” trains running at speeds of over 160 km/h. Another deficit is scheduled for the train segment travelling at over 200 km/h with performance characteristics that meet future mobility needs.
The document published by DfT also includes priorities concerning specifications for the future rolling stock that will have to be upgraded or built (new trains) keeping in mind several principles. Accessibility is one of the essential elements of passengers’ rights, not just at European, but also at national level, as services must be accessible to all passengers. Consequently, at the end of 2019, UK’s entire rolling stock fleet has to meet accessibility standards. DfT expects that operators and wagon keepers would already have established necessary upgrades and, where necessary, exemptions. All requirements are submitted to consultations between interested parties and must prove what measures need to be implemented to reduce the impact of nonconformity in the operation of vehicles for passengers with reduced mobility. “The department continues to seek improvements for people with reduced mobility through its franchise competitions,” DfT says.
For example, starting with 2020, Abellio East Anglia will introduce a new rolling stock fleet (Flirt trains, produced by Stadler) equipped with systems that will eliminate the gap between the train and the platform to increase the accessibility of passengers with reduced mobility which could eliminate the need for portable ramps in stations.
A HS2 report on step-free access emphasizes the essential features that would allow many passengers to access rail services independently, like all the other passengers. The access level between platforms and trains will improve the accessibility of all passengers and, if included in the initial phase of design of buildings and vehicles, they could be delivered with a minimum additional cost.
Delivery of quality within franchises is another feature mentioned by DfT that is considered in the tendering process. Thus, future competitors will be evaluated based on the quality of delivered services and prices. Requirements include sockets, modern lighting systems, systems for real-time passenger information about journeys and future connections, the optimization of mobile connectivity. “We are particularly interested in innovative and forward-thinking proposals that are based on insight into passengers’ needs,” DfT explains.
The optimisation of the internet connectivity is another element to be considered as more and more passengers use mobile data. Although many trains are connected to Wi-Fi, there are challenges concerning the optimisation of these services between trains and the infrastructure in rural areas and tunnels. In order to deliver Wi-Fi connectivity, DfT has available funds to meet five new performance indicators that are introduced through the franchise programme. These indicators set minimum connectivity standards and service availability where signal is poor or inexistent and delivery of minimum passenger data shares. Also, there are demands for continuous optimisation during the franchise. Each indicator will be adapted to each franchise with the requirement of keeping the passenger satisfied as expectations will increase.
Performance is another specification stipulated in the document and refers to the passengers’ satisfaction which increased by 3% in 2016 to 83% in 2017, according to the National Rail Passenger Survey published by Transport Focus. The optimisation of the reliability of trains and the use of digital systems become vital as they reduce the number of incidents and add capacity to improve the flexibility of services.
Sustainable development is at the core of the railway system. British authorities have committed to adopt measures to reduce the environmental impact. Therefore, passenger transport players, from operators to manufacturers, must contribute to reducing pollution. For the next years, DfT estimates an increase in the number of bi-mode trains equipped with modern diesel engines which are less polluting than the existing ones (many of them built three decades ago which engines that don’t meet standard emission norms).
As technology evolves constantly and battery technologies are optimised, the authorities expect that the new diesel engines would be replaced with energy storage systems. The need to reduce carbon emissions will stimulate sustainable initiatives, from operators, rolling stock owners and the industry. For example, over the past years, these initiatives have included lighter vehicles, locomotives that are capable to transport cargo directly to ports without requiring trucks or shunting locomotives, or even a catenary (such as the Traxx Last Mile locomotives manufactured by Bombardier) and the development of hydrogen driven trains to replace diesel trains (such as Coradia ILint manufactured by Alstom).
Based on these initiatives and on the probability of developing other measures and projects, operators and rolling stock owners, but also Network Rail, should launch new programmes, to identify and analyse opportunities to contribute to reducing carbon-dioxide emissions. Also, the industry should develop new technologies for future trains that should be bi-mode, use hydrogen as energy resource and improve hybrid technologies. “We want to see the industry take the initiative, to be leaders in innovation and take proposals forward. We will continue to support innovation through our franchises and with support made available through Innovate UK,” DfT says.
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