Minutes 10 April 06

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.