Download - High Speed Rail Regional Impact
High Speed Rail: Regional Impact Page 1
High Speed Rail Regional Impact Tony Lennon
• HSR implemented or being considered in most developing countries
• Europe and Japan – over 30 years experience in design and construction of HSR systems
• 1981 – introduction of Paris/Lyon TGV
• HSR systems deliver step changes in journey times
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High Speed Rail: A Global Trend
High Speed Rail Regional Impact
Route Before After
Paris – Lyon 5 hours 2 hours
Paris – Brussels 3 hours 1 hour 20
mins
London – Brussels 6 hours 2 hours
Madrid – Barcelona 5 hours 2 hours 45
mins
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Changes in Journey Times Following Introduction of HSR
High Speed Rail Regional Impact
• Dramatically enhanced connectivity
• Reduction of transport congestion
• Boost of regional/national economic competitiveness
• Enhanced regional productivity/employment opportunities outside capital cities
• Step change in transport system capability
• Impact on towns and cities relatively close to regional/national centres
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Strategic Impact of HSR Services
High Speed Rail Regional Impact
• HSR = long distance travel
• Primary objective is not to serve daily commuter but ….
- Time savings makes it possible to commute daily up to 200km away from home
- HSR provides opportunity to expand outside cities
- HSR systems likely to have spare operating capacity for local services
- Regions demand benefits
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High Speed Rail: A Commuter Railway?
High Speed Rail Regional Impact
• Most European countries traditionally don‟t have long distance commutes to work
• HSR provides regional stations close to major centres – stimulus for economic growth
• London = exception to „European‟ commuting model
• Even so, initial concept of developing the Channel Tunnel Rail Link into a commuter system was not thought of seriously in the early planning stages
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Case Study: Growing Importance of Commuter HSR
High Speed Rail Regional Impact
• 1994 – Channel tunnel linking UK to France completed
• Eurostar linked Paris and Brussels to London
• In England trains used the existing rail infrastructure and shared it with commuter service – not sustainable
• 1995 - construction of dedicated link at 115kms to London accepted / detailed planning commenced
• Route would pass close to regional centres of Ashford (160,000 population), Maidstone (200,000 population) and the Medway towns (200,000+ population)
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Case Study: HS1 in the UK
High Speed Rail Regional Impact
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HSR1 Route Map
High Speed Rail Regional Impact
• Construction and operation of HS1 required approval of UK Parliament
• Two schools of thought emerged
• Local rail planners recognised early the opportunity to utilise the route for a new form of commuter service
• UK national government supported this and provision for “domestic passenger services” and freight were included within the Act and scope of the new railway
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HSR1 UK: An Intense Planning Process
High Speed Rail Regional Impact
Ashford
• Market town 90km from central London
• Excellent but slow conventional rail service
• Economically stagnant in 1990‟s.
• Planning authorities fully supportive of sighting HSR stations for domestic and international services in town
• Persuaded rail planners to route line through town centre (original proposal was to bypass the town)
Page 10 High Speed Rail: Regional Impact
HSR1 UK: A Tail of Two Towns
High Speed Rail Regional Impact
10/17/2011 Presentation Title Page 11
Maidstone
• Country town of Kent, 50 km from London
• Prosperous with rail services, taking over one hour to arrive in London. Strong commuter market
• HSR routing vigorously opposed. Proposals for a station on the outskirts of town rejected
• Town planners did not engage with rail planning authorities at a political and practical level
HSR1 UK: A Tail of Two Towns
High Speed Rail Regional Impact
• Rail planners prepared to go to extraordinary measures to address local concerns and issues
• Objections to route extremely vocal - put pressure on town planners to adopt public consensus
• Ashford town planners engaged early in the development with rail authorities, national and regional Government
• Recognised Ashford should have a HSR station and HSR route too
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HSR1 UK: Engaging With Planning Teams
High Speed Rail Regional Impact
• 2007 - Full HSR1 network opened
• High speed stations opened at Stratford, Ebbsfleet and Ashford
• Domestic HSR services operating between Ashford and London St Pancras
• Estimated by 2031Ashford will have built 31,000 new homes and created 28,000 new jobs
• Maidstone remained off the network – 2010 they began lobbying for high speed station - this was rejected
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HSR1 UK: 15 Years Post Planning
High Speed Rail Regional Impact
• Potential to dramatically boost connectivity
• Regional organisations must be required to:
- Come together with common purpose
- Engage early with Government and rail authorities
- Have a clear / bold vision and understanding of what is required
- Recognise that HSR will have its objectors
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HSR1 UK: Some Lessons
High Speed Rail Regional Impact
• Governments recognise HSR has a regional regenerative role
• Good connectivity of regions close to London is important
• Connectivity can also help shield vulnerable regions from the worst effects of the economic cycle eg. Ashford
• HSR can have surprising benefits - without a station at Stratford, it is unlikely that the 2012 Olympics would be in London
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HSR1 UK: Impact on UK Policy
High Speed Rail Regional Impact
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