Liverpool City Region Authority discuss Rail Development in the North of England

[Wavertreelad]

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority met on 13th June 2014 to discuss a variety of subjects including freight and logistics in the region, long term rail strategy, HS2 connection to Liverpool and Rail North. The agenda of this meeting is attached, or can be viewed at

http://councillors.knowsley.gov.uk/...ty.pdf?T=10&StyleType=standard&StyleSize=none

With such a large agenda (164 pages) there is of course not a lot of detail and some of the topics discussed go well beyond the boundaries of the Liverpool City Region and give an insight into the way rail transport will be developed in the North of England.

Accepting that much of the content has been discussed elsewhere in this forum against specific topics, hopefully this document will provide a wide base for comments on the future of rail transportation in North of England.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

This bit is interesting (p88):

Given the priority placed on improving the standard of rolling stock across the north,
Rail North has commissioned a detailed piece of work on alternative options for
rolling stock financing and procurement (e.g. Rail North borrowing and financing at
cheaper rates than available through the current market). DfT has been supportive
of this work as an alternative option for bidders to consider alongside the more
traditional Rolling Stock Company (ROSCO) model. Early indications are that the
access to cheaper finance would considerably narrow the gap between the cost of
older rolling stock (under the traditional model) and the cost of new or significantly
refurbished stock.

This may be the answer to the conundrum of how to get new trains to Northern.
Although I would be wary of a Local Authority body claiming it has found a lower cost financing model.
The financing would have to be under Treasury rules if outside the ROSCO model.

 

[WatcherZero]

Was mentioned in the TPE/Northern consultation document. Essentially Rail North is looking to become a ROSCO ala the French model to save on leasing costs and have more control of the quality of stock used in the region.

 

[edwin_m]

Since DfT is fairly convinced (correctly or otherwise) that the ROSCOs are ripping everyone off, any such move by Rail North would probably have Government support.

 

[Olaf]

Thanks,

Have had a quick scan through the document:

A few key points:
- There are no new changes so far to proposals or plans,
- The Long Term Rail Strategy and the HS2 Action Plan will next be discussed at a meeting on 19/09/2014 which is expected to formalise the former,
- £10.4M is to be requested from Central Government for the Halton Curve project; this is aimed for 2016/2017 to align with overlapping Network Rail activities
- The list of 12 draft projects to be included in the LTRS are listed on page 74 of teh report
- The LCR is to make a new request to the DfT for review of the proposals for a dedicated HS2 link to Liverpool
- Rail Devolution proposals discussed on page 85 of teh report - this site is also listed: http://www.railnorth.org/strategy/
- Across both Northern and TPE franchises, public subsidy amounts to about 50% of costs (page 87), and to quote "they are of the view that significant efficiencies will be needed if the growth is to be affordable" (item 4.1)

 

[cogload]

At the end of the day the only way the regions are going to regain their economic clout is if the mantra tha tif you spend it you should raise it permeated the dense minds of the Treasury. There has been a slow start, but at least a start with the city deals process but it needs tax raising powers to be devolved along with a measure of bond financing. Allocation 9 ministers to champion the cause (c) Ed Milliband is absurd.

 

[Wavertreelad]

Below my original post on a development at Knowsley by Peel Logistics which is included in the Merseyrail planning new stations thread but perhaps on it's own is more appropriate to this thread.
.

It was brought to my attention today that Peellogistics part of the Peel Group had acquired the closed Sonae factory site on Kirkby Industrial Estate which is next door to the existing Potter Group facility.

Peel have renamed the site Knowsley 700 and are looking to develop the site as a logistics hub promoting it as close to close the motorway network M57/M58 and M62, but also is stating the site is close to Knowsley Railfreight Terminal (KRT). As their website shows the site is huge and there is a distinct shortage of modern warehousing in the area which is likely to be needed when Liverpool2 opens and larger ships are able to call at the Mersey terminal.

http://peellogistics.co.uk/sites/knowsley-700/#.U9FXM88nI5s

The curious part of this investment by Peel for me is the reference to the rail connection insofar that presumably the only means of trains from the KRT reaching the WCML is via Wigan which appears to require the locomotive to run around the train to get both in and out of site. I'm not sure where any new Merseyrail station on Headbolt Lane would be situated but any large increase in trains could be an impact on either an extended Merseyrail service along the line the separate Kirkby Wigan service particularly if the frequency was increased. The other interesting aspect is that Peel will likely come under increasing pressure once Liverpool2 opens to reduce the number of HGV's using the road network from the M57/M58 junction to the new terminal, ie Dunningsbridge Road and Church Road. Official estimates are these will rise from the current 350 per hour to 800 per hour in a few years time and this route would be the natural route for HGV's to follow to access to access the new site, hardly helping the reduction.

The Merseyside Transport Plan, which appears to have been recently updated contains the following statement

"The Knowsley Industrial & Business Park in Kirkby is served by its own rail terminal which is operated by Potter Logistics. Unfortunately no freight trains operate from this terminal currently due to loading gauge constraints which is only W6 loading gauge and so limit the potential for it to be used by container trains.

However, Potter Logistics plan to undertake a programme to expand the facilities at its three rail terminals in the UK including Knowsley. This will result in extended rail sidings so that it can handle 750m long freight trains. As part of this work, the loading gauge on the Kirkby to Wigan line is to be upgraded to W9 loading gauge.

Also in April 2013 it was announced by the Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority that SITA UK were the successful party for their 30 year resource recovery contract. As a result from 2016 it is anticipated that two freight trains per day will be operated on behalf of SITA UK from the rail terminal in Kirkby carrying Solid Recovered Fuel (i.e. waste) from Merseyside to their new Wilton 11 “Energy from Waste” plant in Teeside which is being developed by Sembcorp Utilities UK in partnership with SITA UK."

http://www.letstravelwise.org/content261_Major-Freight-Terminals-in-Liverpool-City-Region.html

Thus it appears from this document that the Kirkby Wigan is to be upgraded at some point in the relative near future to allow container and longer trains from the KFT site, which could benefit the Peel development. However, any rail route from the site would still involve a lengthy detour via Wigan to get to and from Liverpool2 which just does not add up. The answer could be to run a shuttle service from the Liverpool2/Seaforth railhead running via from the Bootle Branch to Kirkdale and constructing a new connection to the Kirkby line. With the rest of this route then cleared to W9 loading gauge it could increase the business case for the line to electrified all the way through to Wigan with Merseyrail using dual voltage stock on the service perhaps even into a long aspired Skelmersdale station. The other benefit would that that an alternative route from the Port of Liverpool to the WCML would be created, reducing pressure on the Chat Moss route via the Bootle Branch.

Interesting today the Liverpool Echo reported on a further development on the opposite side of the Potter Group site which is already rail connected. I couldn't find the piece in on the web, but it is basically the same press release on which the link below is also based.

"Barwood Developments and Potter Logistics have entered into a joint venture agreement to deliver a 275,000 sq ft logistics project on a 16-acre site in Knowsley Industrial Park. The scheme, branded Draco, will accommodate distribution and manufacturing units in buildings from 25,000 sq ft to 150,000 sq ft on a built to suit basis. The units will be available as freehold or leasehold. The joint venture has appointed the industrial agency teams at CBRE, B8 Real Estate and Fox Lloyd Jones to market Draco. Knowsley Industrial Park is an established industrial location with existing occupiers including Hermes, Capita, Matalan and QVC. Barwood is currently also in a joint venture agreement with Legal & General property at M6EPIC, a 34-acre industrial site in South Lancashire which it acquired in 2013. Andrew Dickman, director of Barwood Developments, said: "In addition to being within one of the North West's most successful industrial parks, the benefits associated with Potter's rail freight terminal will have significant appeal to occupiers. "In a market where there is now a serious lack of supply of warehouse and manufacturing stock certainty will be key, and our ability to deliver these units on an already allocated site will be well received by occupiers." Matthew Lamb, managing director of Potter Logistics, said: "This is a well-timed and exciting development for the region. It represents a significant opportunity to springboard the redevelopment of the Knowsley Industrial Park creating capacity for the businesses to expand as the economy returns to growth."

http://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/new...d-jv-launches-knowsley-industrial-scheme.html

The potential implications for both of these developments must surely raise the business case for upgrading the Kirkby to Wigan line and thus potentially construction of a link between it and the Bootle Branch at Kirkdale as I have proposed in the later post on the Merseyrail opening more stations thread.