A long-term strategy for London's railway has been unveiled in the UK, building on existing plans to increase capacity on the region's railway to cater for a projected threefold rise in passenger demand by 2031.
Network Rail's draft report, London and south-east route utilisation strategy, has been produced in partnership with the rail industry, the Department for Transport and Transport for London, to identify ways to boost capacity, improve journeys and build on existing plans to increase capacity on the region's railway.
The plan calls for increasing rail capacity including Crossrail, Thameslink, Reading remodelling, electrification to Newbury and Oxford, the Evergreen 3 project on the Chiltern line, the completion of the London Overground network as well as train and platform lengthening on many routes.
Other measures include extra commuter services between the Thames Valley and Paddington station in London, additional tracks on the Lea Valley line and more trains on the Windsor lines into Waterloo.
Network Rail also recommended developing further proposals for future schemes, a Chelsea to Hackney line under London, extensions to Crossrail and improving rail services to Heathrow.
The rail operator is inviting responses until 11 March 2011 for a three-month consultation on the draft strategy with key stakeholders and will publish a final strategy in 2011.
