ETCS on the ECML
£350 million ETCS package for ECML resignalling
European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 signalling is to be installed between King’s Cross and Stoke Tunnel (near Grantham), in a £350 million investment aimed at making journeys more reliable.
The Department for Transport announced the funding on June
22. It is in addition to the £1.2 billion modernisation plan for the East Coast route, with the in-cab signalling fitted to trains of all operators using the route. Some £12m is also being spent on fitting 33 new trains for the Midland
Main Line with ETCS equipment.
The East Coast Main Line will be the first major main line installation of the technology in the UK, although the Cambrian Coast Line was fitted with it in 2011.
No date for the commissioning has been announced, nor the contractor, but the DfT says it plans to expand ETCS to cover sections of the West Coast and Midland Main Lines in addition to routes in East Anglia from 2026.
Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps said: “As the country recovers from COVID-19 we want to speed up our economy and reap the benefits of new transport technology. The Victorians gave us the world’s first great rail network and now it’s our turn to be modern transport pioneers and build on that great tradition.
“Upgrading this country’s conventional signalling system and giving drivers technology fit for the 21st century will boost train performance, cut delays, improve safety and support the supply chain.
“This is just the beginning. In time, we will digitise signalling right across the country to make good on our promise of better reliability and punctuality for passengers.
“Passengers shouldn’t have to worry about missing connections or being late home to see their children. I’ve been clear that getting the trains to run on time is a personal priority.”
LNER Managing Director David Horne added: “After LNER and other operators on the East Coast successfully introduced brand new fleets, in-cab signalling will be the next exciting step we take to maximise the benefits of the technology that Azuma and all the trains on this route offer. This investment is good news for all customers, who will see even more improvements in services, reliability and sustainability.”
Programme Director of the East Coast digital programme Toufic Machnouk concluded: “This is a big step towards transforming the network for the millions of passengers that use the East
Coast Main Line, and a welcome endorsement of the partnership approach that the rail industry has adopted to deliver Britain’s first inter-city digital railway.”