A reduction in overcrowding on the busy London to Brighton rail line is just one of the benefits of the Department for Transport's (DfT) action plan for the route implemented using the expertise of Steer Davies Gleave.

Our role

The DfT's route utilisation study (RUS) for Brighton Mainline identified options for improving services on one of the country's busiest rail lines. Following this study we assisted the DfT team in assessing and implementing the study's key recommendations.

As a result Southern who currently run services on this route have agreed to incorporate the Gatwick Express operator into their organisation in mid-2008. In late 2008 the dedicated Gatwick Express service will be extended in the peak hours to run to/from Brighton, which is forecast to reduce crowding on the busiest sections of the route north of Gatwick, and provide a more frequent service between London Victoria and Gatwick. 

How we did it

The major challenge was to determine the best allocation of capacity between commuters, Gatwick airport users and leisure passengers, while taking into account constraints such as the infrastructure and planned major projects, and the needs of different types of passengers.

First we helped the DfT to assess strategic options for the route modelling a range of options which required:

• timetable planning
• operational assessments
• demand, revenue and operating cost forecasting
• economic and financial appraisal development.
• We then supported DfT through implementation, including:
• preparation of the specification
• drafting a Request For Proposal
• assessing the operational and financial aspects of the bid
• analysing the financial model
• negotiations with Southern
• providing key inputs to the approvals process, for example economic assessments

• For more information please contact

• Martin Baynham-Knight
  t +44 (0) 20 7910 5000
• e rail@sdgworld.net

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