DORNOCH RAIL LINK ACTION GROUP
Hon. President Revd. Alistair Roy BD
Bulletin for the Dornoch Rail Link Action Group – June 2009
Dear members of the Dornoch Rail Link Action Group, 1. There has been further good news on our rail campaign front since our last newsletter in March 2009, although the ongoing credit crunch and recession are having an effect on the rail industry in general. There is plenty of reason for us to have a lot of hope for the future nevertheless, as will be shown in the appendices below. We can prove that we have a very enthusiastic and pro-active membership, and some very good support from a lot of very important organisations in this area and elsewhere. Everyone, please be clear – this is going to help us to make a lot more progress than many people will realise or accept. We have made big progress in helping realise the socio-economic benefits of major improvements to the Far North Line, including the Dornoch Rail Link. We are also concerned with improving all of the existing line at the same time. Our continuing membership of the HITRANS Rail Users’ Group and the Rail Stakeholders’ Group will help us in our campaign, although we are now beginning to work with many other important organisations. I am particularly pleased to report that we have started to work with On-Route Logistics UK Ltd. and the Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership (CNSRP) with the express purpose of making a co-ordinated and hard hitting lobbying campaign for major improvements to our Line. On-Route Logistics UK Ltd. is a new railfreight company setting itself up in Georgemas Junction, Caithness. The CNSRP is a partnership of many major and important local, regional and national organisations charged with developing the Far North post Dounreay and also fully maximising opportunities from the Pentland Firth. The NDA, Highland Council and HIE are included in the CNSRP, and they are beginning to increasingly recognise the benefits of the improvements to the Far North Line on the scale we are seeking. This is in line with our general strategy of producing professionally researched and executed studies on the Dornoch Rail Link and other improvements, and then getting major backing for our campaign for improvements to our Line. We still have a prime objective to progress the STAG 2 study to complement the Corus/ MVA work we have already done, but the scale of this work requires us to consolidate the assistance of the above organisations and others in getting this progressed as a socio-economic development imperative. I am pleased also to report that we are now being listened to increasingly by Transport Scotland and Network Rail, as the appendices below show. This is going to be a short newsletter nonetheless, and I must apologise for its late production this time. This is owing to my being away on leave earlier this month, and also to a number of other matters requiring my attention. On a lighter note, I hope you all enjoy the pictures I took on my recent holiday further south on the Purbeck Line, the Seaton Tramway and the South Devon Railway. I attach some pictures below. Some of these may give us ideas for tourist development for our Line, as well as aspirations 1
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DORNOCH RAIL LINK ACTION GROUP
Hon. President Revd. Alistair Roy BD
for the future of both rail freight development and modern rolling stock for our trains. I’ll leave you all to guess which is which!! 6. One point of note for the Seaton tramway – they have a level crossing where the tram has to stop before reaching it, and the driver has to get out, press a button to start the road warning lights and then drive across slowly only when the traffic has stopped. This might be all right for a 2’ 9” gauge tourist line but is no use for a standard gauge railway. I am nevertheless sure some people would like all trains to cross level crossings in that manner, because the car is king, of course!! I should make something clear, seriously. There has been some controversy about the use of level crossings, as those of you who read the Press and Journal newspaper may have noticed in the Letters page lately. Despite the fact that the vast majority (over 95%) of recorded level crossing road/rail collisions are due to road user misuse, many people wish to believe that the railway is usually at fault and should be held responsible (P&J coverage of the Bunchrew crossing near Inverness a case in point). Particular instances are cited when the train goes across the crossings at speed when the lights are not working. I raised this issue with Ron MacAulay of Network Rail at the January 2009 STPR conference, and he gave the following reply (rather angrily, I might add): “The flashing red lights at the level crossings are hard wired to a sighting flashing light along the railway line. This light flashes once the level crossing lights flash, indicating normal status to the train driver. If the lights are not working, neither does the sighting light. The driver then follows a rigorously enforced safe system of work, whereby he/she slows and stops the train before the level crossing, sounds the train horn and then proceeds across the crossing at speeds not exceeding 5 mph if the crossing is clear. It is wrong to suggest that the train runs across the crossing at speed if the lights are not working.” I have no reason to disbelieve this. I would personally add that I sympathise with Network Rail on this issue, and I have gone public to that effect. Would it be reasonable for all buses and lorries on the A9 to stop, sound their horn and then drive past every single junction with a minor road at 5 mph? That would cause an outcry, but trains are forced to do that on unlighted level crossings. This issue, as I can show in the minutes of the Network Rail meeting I had, may cause an additional lengthening of rail journey times to and from Caithness. I have already made it clear to Craig Milroy that that would be totally unacceptable and politically difficult to swallow. I can only hope that we see some big journey time reductions on our Line, including the Dornoch Rail Link. I am given good reason (as I hope all you are) to believe that we have a better chance of this now than we did a few years previously. Mark W. Norton, Convener, Dornoch Rail Link Action Group.
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Best wishes to all,
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DORNOCH RAIL LINK ACTION GROUP
Hon. President Revd. Alistair Roy BD
1st picture: it would be nice to see all our lines electrified, with trains like this Class 377 at Willesden
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DORNOCH RAIL LINK ACTION GROUP
Hon. President Revd. Alistair Roy BD
2nd picture: BR 2-6-4T Class 4MT at Norden Park, Swanage Railway.
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DORNOCH RAIL LINK ACTION GROUP
Hon. President Revd. Alistair Roy BD
3rd picture: Seaton 120 V electric tram at Seaton terminus
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DORNOCH RAIL LINK ACTION GROUP
Hon. President Revd. Alistair Roy BD
4th picture: Class 37 in BR green at Buckfastleigh yard, South Devon Railway.
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DORNOCH RAIL LINK ACTION GROUP
Hon. President Revd. Alistair Roy BD
Appendix 1 – Presentation by Jim Welsh of On-Route Logistics at our recent AGM of the 8th May. Mark Norton opened the meeting by welcoming everyone present. He then introduced Jim Welsh, Managing Director of On-Route Logistics UK Ltd, who then gave a presentation on the new company, On-Route Logistics UK Ltd., which is a new railfreight company setting up in Georgemas Junction in Caithness. This firm plans to manufacture and transport a wide variety of products by rail to and from Caithness, for which they are to be commended, and which could generate levels of freight not seen on the Far North Line for several decades. The following points were recorded during this presentation: There had been previous efforts to transport freight by rail on the Far North Line, including the Safeway traffic and also the pipeline traffic; Freight north of Perth has been severely reduced, and is practically non-existent north of Inverness; The Far North Line is Route Availability (RA) 5 north of Invergordon, which puts a restriction on the gross weight and axle loading of freight wagons to 80 tonnes maximum; The Radio Electronic Token Block signalling needs to be renewed as a matter of priority, as this has substantial impact on track capacity and train frequency. It is inadequate in its current form, but upgrades to it would reduce freight train times substantially; Caithness and Sutherland needs a good passenger service as well as a freight service. The Dornoch Rail Link is recognised as providing major benefits for reduced journey times for passengers and capacity increases on the existing line for freight; Level crossings would need to be upgraded, but a full barrier crossing would be expensive. Bridges across the crossings would cost up to £1 million each; Georgemas Junction is perfectly located as an integrated transport hub for the Far North, particularly for the proposed Georgemas Energy and Logistics Park which would contain a biomass fuelled power station; Traffic for On-Route Logistics would consist initially of timber, with raw material imported by rail and then manufactures into wood pellets, animal bedding and other finished products outwards, again by rail; Other traffic would be catered for, with a revolutionary handling system enabling loads as small as one pallet being loaded onto trains. There would be one train each way per day leaving Georgemas at the end of this year. 12,000 lorry journeys per year would be removed off the A9 this way; Jim made the point additionally that it is more profitable for a road haulier to make 20 journeys to a railhead per day than to take the same load on one long journey; The Georgemas facility would create long term good quality jobs for young people, with careers over a 30-40 year lifespan; Locomotives and wagons used by On-Route Logistics would be ensured to have a universal route availability, and be able to use any siding in the UK without restriction. This would ensure maximum flexibility and cut costs involved with transferring loads between wagons of different size and weight; The move away from emphasis on bulk freight enables the exploitation of freight flows not previously available to rail freight operators.
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DORNOCH RAIL LINK ACTION GROUP
Hon. President Revd. Alistair Roy BD
Jim Welsh and Mark Norton then took some questions from the audience after the presentation finished, before a short break for refreshments. The following salient points were recorded: Level crossing safety issues were discussed and recognised, with the point made that road user abuse was a major contributory factor in addition to issues of light visibility. Comparisons were made to road user logic at road traffic lights. The additional point was forcefully made that sighting lights along the railway line are hard wired to the level crossing warning lights. These lights would fail if the level crossing lights did not work, whereupon the train driver is required to follow a rigorously enforced safe system of work. He/she has to stop the train at a crossing, sound the horn and then crawl across if the crossing is clear; Congratulations and best wishes were expressed to Jim Welsh on the prospects for job creation in the Far North, and the revival of freight on the Far North Line; The suggestion was made that the freight developments in Caithness could give rise to commercial case for upgrades to the Far North Line, on the lines that our Group is pursuing. This case would be put forward to Network Rail as appropriate in due course; Ken Sutherland praised the “can-do” attitude presented by Jim Welsh in his presentation, with the reply that this enterprise could bring in further industry; The further question was raised as to why the tracks on the Far North Line were in bad condition, and whether this would be worsened by freight trains running on it. Jim Welsh responded that freight trains with a light axle loading would cut the wear and tear on the line; The final question about availability of locomotives and drivers was answered by news that many locomotives from DB Schenker (formerly EWS) and other rail freight operators were stored owing to lack of traffic. Many drivers had also been laid off. This would increase availability of personnel and motive power for new traffic flows. Mark Norton concluded the presentation by thanking Jim Welsh, on behalf of Dorlag, for an excellent, informative and authoritative presentation on a locally based new rail freight company. This promises to play a major part in reviving the fortunes of the Far North Line.
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DORNOCH RAIL LINK ACTION GROUP
Hon. President Revd. Alistair Roy BD
Appendix 2 – Minutes of the meeting, chaired by Dorlag, on the 4th June, including OnRoute Logistics UK., CNSRP, NDA, Transport Scotland and Network Rail. Pentland Hotel, 1st floor conference room, Thursday 4th June 09.30. Persons present: Mark W. Norton Laurence Kenney Alastair Christie Jim Welsh Cllr. David Flear John Mackay Anna MacConnell Eann Sinclair William Manson Apologies: Claire Keggie Neil Robertson Dave Duthie/ Frank Roach Rob Gibson MSP John and Margaret Moore Donald Mackintosh John Yellowlees Neil Gillies Sandy Cumming Gordon Mackenzie Jean Lipa John Thurso MP Convener, Dornoch Rail Link Action Group (meeting chair) Transport Scotland Thurso Community Council, rail spokesman Managing Director, On-Route Logistics UK Ltd., Highland Councillor, Caithness Landward Wick Harbour Authority Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) Socio-Economic Development Manager Programme Manager, Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership (CNSRP) Chairman, Halkirk Community Council Transport Scotland New Park Estates HITRANS Highlands and Islands MSP Dornoch Rail Link Action Group Dornoch Rail Link Action Group First Scotrail Highland Council Highlands and Islands Enterprise Scrabster Harbour Trust Association of Caithness Community Councils MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross.
Introduction.
1. Mark Norton opened the meeting and welcomed everyone present. He introduced Laurence Kenney to the meeting, and gave a brief address after initial introductions were given by the attendees. 2. Mark Norton stated that improvements to the Far North Line had been discussed and debated with some vigour over the previous 30 years or so, but there had been changes in the circumstances surrounding this debate over the last 5 years. These concerned principally the Dounreay closedown and the Pentland Firth tidal power scheme amongst other things, although these have been discussed at length during the Caithness Conferences in 2007 and 2008. The following points were made nonetheless: Addressing these challenges and opportunities had national and, to some extent, international ramifications; Major improvements to the transport links, especially the railway line from Inverness to Thurso and Wick, were needed to help the regeneration partnership and development 9
DORNOCH RAIL LINK ACTION GROUP
Hon. President Revd. Alistair Roy BD
organisations and community representatives successfully develop these opportunities and meet these challenges; Improvements to the railway lines to particular areas, as shown in the Stirling-AlloaKincardine line opening and the Ebbw Vale rail services amongst others, have far reaching benefits of the areas they serve which go a long way beyond lineside fences and station doors; The purpose of today’s meeting was to establish a direct dialogue between the local representatives and the funders and providers of the rail network in Scotland. This would be for two purposes: 1) tell Transport Scotland and Network Rail what improvements they need to help them achieve their aims and 2) for these two organisations to tell the local representatives what work needs to be done and cases to be made to help bring about these improvements; The meeting agreed to pursue these improvements on the lines outlined in the agenda for the meeting, although other schemes or aspects could be discussed as the meeting progressed. 3. Eann Sinclair then gave a short briefing on the work undertaken by the CNSRP and what they are seeking to achieve in the short, medium and long term. The salient points given are recorded below: The Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership is a partnership of public agencies, commercial organisations and community bodies, including the NDA amongst others, charged with developing the Far North economy over the next 20-30 years; The Partnership is very keen to see key infrastructural improvements to and in the Far North accelerated as part of an action plan to develop the economy; The Caithness Conferences are an annual general meeting of all the local, national and commercial stakeholders involved in the development of the Far North economy in partnership with the CNSRP; Transport improvements have been identified as a priority for helping develop the local economy. Some concern had been felt at the outcome of the Strategic Transport Projects Review and its lack of recognition of the situation in the Far North; The A9 road improvements had been recognised by the Partnership as going forward, but concern was expressed at the lack of progress on similar improvements to the rail link; Over the next 6 months, there would be further development of the Pentland Firth seabed leases with a number of ancillary local developments, which could generate several hundred jobs locally and hundreds of million pounds per year; There will also be competition for the management of the ongoing decommissioning of the Dounreay site; Better transport connectivity of the Far North is vital for helping the successful outcome for all of these objectives. Councillor David Flear also mentioned the serious disparity between the road and rail times to and from Caithness, with recent increases in journey times. It is important to improve the infrastructure and signalling on the Far North Line to help reduce this disparity; An example of negative effects on rail journey times was the planned housing development in Easter Ross, near the Delny level crossing, which may slow trains 10
DORNOCH RAIL LINK ACTION GROUP
Hon. President Revd. Alistair Roy BD
further. David Flear has had meetings with the director of planning in the Highland Council on this subject.
Improvements on the Far North Line for railfreight and general economic development
4. Mark Norton opened this discussion by asking for opinions about how the Far North Line can be improved for railfreight, and for general economic benefits for the area it serves. Jim Welsh, Eann Sinclair, David Flear, Anna MacConnell and others made strong representations on this subject to the meeting, with the following points made: Signalling with the RETB system had been identified as a major drawback towards increasing freight and passenger traffic on the Far North Line. Jim Welsh made the point that there was technology available for replacing the outdated RETB signalling with modern flexible and relatively inexpensive signalling methods. Other relatively simple improvements to the line for reducing journey times and other benefits could be implemented. The restrictions arising from the RETB were identified as a major drawback; David Flear added that there was a serious lack of joined up thinking, citing as examples the visit by the First Minister to Caithness last year to promote the Pentland Firth on one hand, and the almost complete lack of mention of the Far North transport links in the Strategic Transport Projects Review on the other hand; Jim Welsh stated that there would be big changes in traffic later this year, with at least one freight train a day each way five days a week on the Far North Line. This would increase Network Rail’s income from this line substantially; Eann Sinclair added that there would be major developments over the next 6 six months which would involve setting up manufacturing, assembly or operations facilities in the Scrabster and Wick harbour areas, with the necessity of integrated transport being implemented to help bring this about; He further added that the Pentland Firth had been identified as a political priority by the Scottish Government, with importance attached to local job and income creation; The additional comment was made that the HIE had identified £12 million pounds for investment in this regard, although it was not clear how this money would be spent; Eann Sinclair added that it was important that the case was made before the right agencies for line improvements on a small scale in the short term; Anna MacConnell added that progress had been made on the road improvement lobbying for Caithness since the formation of the Caithness Transport Forum 3 years ago, but improvements to the rail had fallen far behind the road. The meeting today would help address that; Laurence Kenney stated that the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) signalling system was being tested on class 158 rolling stock on the Cambrian Line in Wales; Jim Welsh made the point that Network Rail were very keen to develop traffic on the Far North Line; The meeting made the point, reinforced by Eann, that better rail connectivity was critical to the success of the regeneration efforts in the Far North, and that a major leap of faith 11
DORNOCH RAIL LINK ACTION GROUP
Hon. President Revd. Alistair Roy BD
was needed by the funding organisations concerned for achieving this connectivity. This would have benefits for both freight and passengers; Laurence Kenney then informed the meeting that decisions concerning major infrastructural investment by Network Rail were governed by outputs from the High Level Output Statement (HLOS). The HLOS covers enhancements programmed over five year control periods; The current control period, running from 2009-2014, is called Control Period 4. Control Period 5 HLOS would determine enhancements and improvements in the CP5 period of 2014-2019; The Scottish Government would be the most important organisation to lobby for major rail improvements sought by the meeting; Laurence then pointed out that the signalling improvements on the Far North Line had been identified as a priority in the STPR, with emphasis on replacing the RETB. There is flexibility in the lower end of HLOS for smaller targeted improvements; David Flear then emphasised the need for joined up government thinking on transport and connectivity issues, with the need for a strategic overview of rail needs for this area. It was further stated that the First Minister’s interest in the Pentland Firth scheme is of major importance; John Mackay stated that Wick Harbour would gain from improvements to the railway line to Wick, in terms of timber export and import, and the development of a terminal in Wick for this; The proposed deep sea container hub for Scapa Flow in Orkney was mentioned as being on the horizon, with the information that the post of Chief Executive for this project had been advertised; It was further emphasised that there would be a large number of diverse organisations working in Caithness and Sutherland to exploit the Pentland Firth opportunities. Many thousands of devices would be manufactured for tidal power generation, with over 800 per year made. Serious efforts would be expended to build them in Caithness; The need for an integrated transport system for all transport modes was stated, combining road, rail, sea and air for the benefits of the Far North; Laurence Kenney stated that there would be a consultation on the policy for a rail freight framework rolled out over the summer for Scotland; It was further emphasised that engagement with HITRANS would be helpful to formulating a joined up approach to the freight consultation. It would also be important to inform HITRANS of the level of interest in rail improvements to the Far North in the broader context of economic development; It was then agreed that there would be joint engagement and response by all parties to the proposed freight consultation ACTION 01/01: Mark Norton to work with organisations represented at this meeting to create a joint action plan for making representations to Transport Scotland for improvements to the Far North Line, via the rail freight consultation in the first instance. The final point was made that any representations for rail improvements would be made most successfully in the context of the regeneration of the area served by the Far North Line. Laurence Kenney noted that responses to the freight consultation should focus on freight issues rather than the wider representations suggested. 12
DORNOCH RAIL LINK ACTION GROUP
Hon. President Revd. Alistair Roy BD
Improved journey times and rolling stock improvement/ replacement
5. Mark Norton opened the discussion by raising the question about the re-opening of Halkirk railway station as well as the passenger services as a whole. The following points were briefly made: William Manson explained that Halkirk was one of the main centres of population for Caithness outside of Thurso and Wick. There would be major socio-economic benefits for such a re-opening, particularly if the previously proposed sports centre in Halkirk is given the go-ahead; People would also be able to walk to Halkirk station from the village, which is not currently possible from Georgemas Junction. The relatively small numbers at Halkirk compared to Beauly near Inverness would nevertheless present more of a challenge in making a case for re-opening. Nevertheless, this would be easier if commercial benefits in moving passenger train services from Georgemas to Halkirk could be realised for the proposed railfreight centre at Georgemas Junction. In terms of journey time reduction, one relatively easy measure to reduce journey times to and from Wick would be for trains to split at Georgemas Junction (as previously until the mid-1990’s), with a 2-carriage DMU proceeding to Thurso and a single car unit going to Wick; Jim Welsh volunteered the suggestion of drivers employed by On-Route Logistics driving the Wick portion of the train to and from Georgemas. Mark Norton suggested a combination of a Class 158 2-car DMU and a Class 153 single-car DMU combination being used for this purpose; Mark Norton explained that there were mechanical refurbishments underway to the current rolling stock fleet used on the Line to improve engine, transmission and other mechanical reliability. There were also suggestions that Class 170 Turbostar 3-car DMUs could be used on the Line in the event of electrification of the Edinburgh – Glasgow diesel railway line (via Falkirk) enabling cascading of diesel passenger rolling stock throughout the Scottish railway network; In terms of capturing supermarket traffic for the railway for railfreight, David Flear made the point that Georgemas Junction could be used as a central road-rail distribution point for all of the Far North; Level crossings were discussed briefly. Jim Welsh emphasised the need for the level crossing upgrades to be captured in any study for rail improvements, as there would be benefits to freight as well as passenger rail traffic for speeding up rail services. This would need to be captured in any representations made for such improvements;
Major infrastructural improvements to the Far North Line, including the Dornoch Rail Link and the Georgemas Chord
6. Mark Norton opened and briefly discussed the prospects of major upgrades to the Far North Line, in the light of what has been discussed above, principally the Dornoch Rail Link. The following points were discussed: 13
DORNOCH RAIL LINK ACTION GROUP
Hon. President Revd. Alistair Roy BD
Eann Sinclair suggested that the joint consultation engagement and response to the proposed freight consultation would be a trigger for a wider discussion and campaign for much more far-reaching improvements to the Far North Line, including the Dornoch Rail Link ultimately; Laurence Kenney noted that as journey times are not as significant an issue for freight it would be hard to use this by itself to support the case for the Dornoch Rail Link. Jim Welsh agreed. The suggestion for routeing the Dornoch short-cut via the Dornoch Road Bridge would enable trains of a lower axle-loading to use the bridge; There is a strong argument for making a joined up case for rail improvements. Incremental short-term improvements to the existing line would eventually create longer term case for major upgrades, including the Link. The following actions then arose from the meeting: ACTION 01/01: Mark Norton to work with organisations represented at this meeting to create a joint action plan for making representations to Transport Scotland for improvements to the Far North Line, via the rail freight consultation in the first instance. Mark would also work with Jim Welsh, Eann Sinclair and others to formulate and finalise the freight consultation. ACTION 01/02: Eann Sinclair would discuss with the CNSRP board the possibility of forming a sub-committee for discussion and progression of actions for progressing rail improvements to the Far North Line.
Supplemental meeting with Craig Milroy of Network Rail.
Subsequent to the main meeting of the morning of the 4th June, Mark Norton held a short meeting with Craig Milroy, Public Affairs manager for Network Rail, on the afternoon of the same day. This meeting was to discuss technical and other aspects of rail upgrades to the Far North Line, in the context of the issues addressed above. The following points were recorded: The rail bridge near the Bunchrew level crossing would be renewed this year, thus enabling the raising of the speed limit on the bridge from 50 mph to 75 mph for passenger trains; Some further speed restrictions were necessary on the level crossings, in the light of risk assessments about road/rail interfaces at these junctions. Examples of the crossings at Bunchrew and Delny being cut from 65 mph to 35 mph were cited; Options for improving the level crossings included the possibility of closing the road if an alternative road was available, or installing a full barrier crossing at a cost of £3 million; Replacing class 158 DMUs with heavier class 170 DMUs could cause the line-speed advantage which is specific to this type of rolling stock on this line to be lost; There were some easy and cheap ways of cutting journey times on the Far North Line, but these had already been mostly done. Further schemes would be more complex and expensive;
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DORNOCH RAIL LINK ACTION GROUP
Hon. President Revd. Alistair Roy BD
The replacement of jointed track with continuously welded track at Altnabreac and elsewhere has enabled some speeding up of services, although these benefits had been countered by level crossing and other restrictions on train speeds; The RETB signalling would be renewed over the next 18 months, for a 10 year lifespan, although a more comprehensive replacement would be needed in time; The principal body to lobby for improvements to the Far North Line is the Scottish Government, with some involvement of HITRANS; The main document to get these improvements registered, including the Dornoch Rail Link as appropriate, is the High Level Output Statement (HLOS) for the next Control Period 5 governing the 2014-2019 period. Consultation on this would begin in the summer of 2010, with the HLOS being formally issued in 2011. It was important to start constructing the case now. The Dornoch Rail Link Action Group would like to thank all attendees for their part in a very positive and constructive meeting. This has the potential to make a real positive difference to rail users in the Far North.
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