LNER has been planning for a major timetable change while dealing with the pandemic. Managing Director DAVID HORNE outlines the challenges ahead to Consultant Editor JAMES ABBOTT
The East Coast is shaping up for the biggest overhaul of the timetable in a generation. Remodelling at King’s Cross is well underway, while progress has been made on the underpass at Werrington and other infrastructure projects on the route (p56). Planners from LNER, Network Rail and industry partners are at work on the new timetable, planned for introduction in May 2022 (six months later than originally planned, due to Covid and other factors lengthening timescales for the infrastructure work).
It’s a massive undertaking: 103 people are involved in the Event Steering Group working on the timetable, representing 24 passenger and freight operating companies; six individual NR Routes; the Department for Transport; Transport for the North; Transport Scotland; and the Office of Rail and Road.
In parallel with this, Network Rail Chief Executive Andrew Haines has been charged with reviewing the wider aspects of capacity allocation on the route (p28, December 2020 issue).