Moving engineering work from weekends to weekdays

[PTR 444]

With leisure travel recovering faster than commuting, is it likely that weekend engineering work will soon become a thing of the past and be moved to weekdays instead?

If this was to happen, when would be the earliest such engineering work could take place from now? I’m aware most work is booked months in advance and it is not easy to change schedules at the last minute, or even weeks before it is due to take place.

Also, if commuting does recover somewhat, could we see a hybrid model where engineering work on the main lines takes place at weekends as usual, but tourist-oriented branch lines are done during the week outside of holiday season?

If the railway undergoes the massive shift away from commuting and towards leisure as predicted by many, what would you propose for the future of engineering work schedules?

 

[SynthD]

A massive shift towards more leisure and less commuting could still leave more commuters than leisure users. Many leisure users would factor in disruption and change their schedule, but commuters may not be in control so much. They'd be more likely to abandon the railway, drive, and set a new bad habit. With the government taking the risk from the operators and looking at the bigger picture they may decide things like this on more than just the number of people travelling or receipts.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

but tourist-oriented branch lines are done during the week outside of holiday season?

This already happens - half term weeks are popular for this type of work as school traffic is often a key user of some of the branch lines.

 

[PTR 444]

This already happens - half term weeks are popular for this type of work as school traffic is often a key user of some of the branch lines.

Although half term is when these lines are most likely to be used by leisure travellers...

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Although half term is when these lines are most likely to be used by leisure travellers...

That’s why it’s done off season to affect the least number of people possible.

On many branches you can’t just ignore the school traffic.

 

[The Planner]

With leisure travel recovering faster than commuting, is it likely that weekend engineering work will soon become a thing of the past and be moved to weekdays instead?

If this was to happen, when would be the earliest such engineering work could take place from now? I’m aware most work is booked months in advance and it is not easy to change schedules at the last minute, or even weeks before it is due to take place.

Also, if commuting does recover somewhat, could we see a hybrid model where engineering work on the main lines takes place at weekends as usual, but tourist-oriented branch lines are done during the week outside of holiday season?

If the railway undergoes the massive shift away from commuting and towards leisure as predicted by many, what would you propose for the future of engineering work schedules?

It is being looked at, and the notion of large scale blocks during the week already happen, but I suspect the normal bank holiday work that requires 54 or 76 hours may not shift as much as people may think. It could come out of the bank holiday into "normal" weekends, but that has a cost as splitting work will cost more, or you cannot get as much done. Cost and funding will still be the major factor in the decision making along with issues such as school traffic etc as mentioned.
The 2022 Engineering Access Statement is now on version 3 of the 4 it has. 2023 is now being developed at pace. I wouldn't expect a step change within the next 18 - 24 months.

 

[telstarbox]

This brief Twitter thread from Network Rail Kent suggests that we can expect more long blocks:

It means we can get heavy machinery on site and make the most of having it there for a while. Otherwise we might only get 24 hours of actual work out of them as we’d have to spend a lot of time preparing and tidying up ready for Monday morning services.

...

Each time Covid restrictions have been lifted, we’ve welcomed more passengers back; noticeably at weekends. It seems -for now at least- that people are keen to travel by train for leisure purposes. Passenger numbers have increased during the week too but not on the same scale.

https://twitter.com/NetworkRailSE/status/1422857670147588100

 

[The Planner]

This brief Twitter thread from Network Rail Kent suggests that we can expect more long blocks:

https://twitter.com/NetworkRailSE/status/1422857670147588100

Providing operators agree, the issue is diverting freight in a lot of cases.