SCOTTISH RAIL STRATEGY STEERING GROUP
MERIDIAN COURT
10th April 2006
Present
Malcolm Reed Transport Scotland
Frances Duffy TS
Janet Egdell TS
Peter Fuller TS
Denise Manzor TS
Ron McAulay Network Rail
Nigel Wunsch NR
Richard Eccles NR
Paul Hadley Office of Rail Regulator
Apologies
Gerard O’Hanlon - First ScotRail
Agenda Items
1. Minutes of last meeting
Minutes of 16 February 2006 were approved without amendment.
2. Action Points
AP
9 from 16th February - Future Stakeholder Forum is still outstanding.
It was decided that arrangements will be made for this once we have
clear dates for publication of the SPA, consultation RUS etc.
3. Rail Strategy Timeline
Janet
Egdell led a discussion on updated timings for delivery of all elements
of the forthcoming Strategy. The overarching National Transport
Strategy (NTS) will be issued for consultation by the end of April and
will be finalised in the autumn. Exact timings will impact on the
timing for the rail strategy. Subject to Ministerial approval a
September date for publication of the draft rail strategy is being
considered with the final strategy published around November. This
would also allow time for the necessary Strategic Environmental
Assessment to be produced and consultation to be carried out.
Nigel Wunsch said that NR aim to publish the consultation RUS by mid July with the final RUS published by the end of the year.
4. Network Rail Strategic Business Plan
Network Rail published their 3 year plan at the beginning of April.
They
aim to publish the first draft of the Strategic Business Plan in June.
They are however looking at possible enhancements to the network at the
moment.
5. Scottish Planning Assessment
Janet Egdell
told the meeting that the SPA has still not been finalised. The
Summary Report has been amended to our satisfaction however it will not
be finalised until the Technical Report has been agreed. It is
intended that this will be done within the next few weeks.
6. Route Utilisation Study
Nigel Wunsch gave an update on progress with the Route Utilisation Study.
The
updated baseline pack has been circulated. Gaps and options are
currently being refined. The initial draft of the consultation
document will be circulated before the next SMG.
7. High Level Output Specification
Work
is underway on preparation of the HLOS. Jonathan Pugh is leading on
this. A tri-lateral group consisting of NR,ORR and Transport Scotland
has been set up and will meet regularly from June 2006.
8. Strategic Projects Review
The
Strategic Projects Review will begin in summer 2006. This will be
objective led and will take a forward look at strategic projects beyond
2012. The specification to engage consultants to carry out the
detailed technical analysis and transport appraisal is currently being
drawn up.
9. AOB
None
10. Date of next meeting
Next meeting will be at 10:30 on 1st June held at Transport Scotland offices, Buchanan House.
