Agenda item

Report of Simon Elliott, Head of Rail, TfGM

RESOLVED/-

1.      That the performance of the Greater Manchester rail network be noted.

2.      That the progress of the capital rail delivery programme be noted.

3.      That the following updates in relation to the capital rail delivery programme be noted :

a)      Work was underway with Stockport and Wigan Council to develop proposals for a new rail station in Cheadle and in Golborne.

b)      The current proposal for Golborne Station, subject to a public consultation that commenced on 4th January 2024, was to build a new station near to the site of the previous Golborne Station which would have an hourly service between Wigan and Stalybridge; and the relevant documentation required to secure Government approval of the Outline Business Case for the scheme would be submitted to the Department for Transport (DfT) for review by the end of January 2024.

c)      That the following works were noted as part of the Access for All programme:

·         The commencement of detailed design works on Daisy Hill and Irlam stations with completion and handover expected in early 2025 and;

·         The conclusion of the outline design for Swinton and Next Tranche stations (Reddish North, Hindley, Bryn) with detailed design work set to commence early 2024 with overall completion expected in 2027, subject to railway possessions and access be received and;

·         In terms of minor accessibility intervention, the installation of Customer Information Systems (CIS) in 14 GM stations were underway with expected completion by the end of March 2024; the installation of the access ramp at Bredbury Station had been completed and the drop off work at Rose Hill Station was currently underway with expected completion by the end of February 2024.

d)      Following delays to the enhancement scheme for Salford Central Station, work was now planned to commence from early 2025 for 10 weeks.

e)      Heaton Chapel, Altrincham, and Trafford Park were identified as stations with buildings that could be redeveloped and brought back into use.

f)       Redevelopment masterplans were now in place for Stockport, Stalybridge and Rochdale Station.

4.      That the progress of strategic rail programme be noted.

5.      That the following updates in relation to the strategic rail programme be noted as below :

a)      Following the publication of the Williams Shapps Plan for Rail in 2021 and the subsequent creation of the Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT), a Trailblazer partnership has been set-up between Greater Manchester and GBRTT.

b)      That work was underway to develop a prospectus for the 6 central stations within Manchester and Salford, along with proposals for an enhanced station at Stockport as part of the Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) be noted.

c)      To support the GM-GBR’s Fares, Ticketing and Retail (FTR) programme roll-out and the Trailblazer Devolution Deal commitment of integrating rail into the Bee Network by 2030, a Customer Integration Delivery Group (CIDG) consisting of industry partners (GBRTT, DfT, Network Rail, Northern and Transpennine) has been set up to support the delivery of this vision.

d)      Two main strategic rail studies ‘The North of England Freight Routing study’ and ‘The 7-Day Railway study’ were currently in progress and on completion would be utilised to understand the priority areas for rail service improvements.

e)      Further strategic and delivery programmes were being led by the rest of the rail industry, including the Hope Valley line upgrades let by Network Rail and TransPennine Route upgrades were noted.