THE FRIENDS OF THE FAR NORTH LINE
Cairdean Na Loine Tuath

President: John Thurso MP
Vice President: John Melling
Convener: Mike Lunan; Treasurer: Janice Stewart; Secretary: Gavin Sinclair
Address for correspondence: FoFNL, 21, Stanhope Avenue, Finchley, London. N3 3LX
www.fofnl.org.uk

The campaign group for rail north of Inverness, lobbying for improved services for the local user, tourist and freight customers

REGIONAL TRANSPORT STRATEGY: HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS

Friends of the Far North Line (FoFNL) is pleased to have this opportunity to comment on HITRANS's draft Regional Transport Strategy (RTS).  FoFNL, formed in 1994 to support the railway line from Inverness to Thurso and Wick, has a membership strength of 200, including several community councils.  It has recently successfully lobbied for the new fourth daily train service south from Wick and for substantive refurbishment of the train sets currently used on the line.

FoFNL believes that significant infrastructure investment is required on the Far North Line (FNL) both in track improvements and in signalling.  It is vitally important that the railway be speeded up to compete with a road made quicker due to continuing substantial investment projects such as the Dornoch road bridge.

Scott Wilson's Room For Growth study published by Highlands & Islands Enterprise in June 2006 advances several major improvements which would be justified to speed up the line and increase capacity to ensure greater robustness to the timetable. These are:

•	Reinstated loop or double track through Lentran,
•	Raising line speed throughout,
•	Upgraded loop speeds, 
•	Upgraded level crossings,
•	Constructing a direct chord to the Thurso line at Georgemas Junction.

FoFNL considers that all these works are necessary together with:

•	Upgrading the signalling system (including a replacement for the RETB system).

The radio signalling system known as Radio Electronic Token Block was installed in 1984 at a time when traffic was much lighter.  Its current state is now a major impediment to further development of a line which has seen a 30% increase in passenger numbers in the past three years and a doubling of passenger trains being operated.  RETB is now practically full to capacity and no further trains can be added to the timetable without an upgrade to the signalling system employed north of Inverness.
The Scott Wilson report considered that there is a good case for reinstating the loop or double track at/through Lentran, but did not advance it to final recommendation stage because of worries about the RETB system.

FoFNL therefore requests that the two schemes to:

•	Replace RETB and upgrade the signalling system, and
•	Reinstate the loop or double track through Lentran

should be included in the HITRANS Regional Transport Strategy for feasibility and design work to commence during the 2007/12 period, with delivery during that period also if at all possible. This is urgent work for the Far North Line.

FoFNL would suggest that consideration be given to extending the Inverness colour light signalling from Clachnaharry through to Dingwall where the Far North and Kyle lines diverge.  Beyond Dingwall a replacement radio signalling system with spare capacity for the future might be used.  It should be noted that these projects would benefit both the Far North and the Kyle lines.  The increase in capacity and the considerable reduction in the number of delays caused to passengers by the 13-mile (19-minute) long single section from Inverness to Muir of Ord are both desperately needed now.  

FoFNL welcomes the inclusion of a reopened station at Conon Bridge in the HITRANS RTS proposals.  FoFNL understands that there is local desire for stations at Evanton and Edderton, and would like to see these included for evaluation.  FoFNL pays tribute to HITRANS  for the funding they have put in to railway schemes such as platform shelters and bicycle stands over the past few years, and welcomes HITRANS's interest in funding the new stations at Dalcross and Conon Bridge.  FoFNL also supports a Kyle arrival into Inverness just before 09.00.

Looking further to the future on the FNL, the one big project which would make a major difference for all users in and north of Golspie would be the Dornoch Link first proposed in the 1980s.  Although it does not score well in current project assessments, the much greater indispensibility expected of rail in the future would be in its favour. A new organisation, independent of FoFNL, named the Dornoch Link Action Group, has recently been formed to pursue this.  Future re-opening of stations at Evanton, Edderton, Dornoch and Halkirk (when the chord at Georgemas is constructed) would promote greater social inclusion, and re-instatement of loops at points such as Fearn, Kildonan, and Altnabreac amongst others would enable much greater traffic flows of freight and passenger trains to be handled via Lairg and Dornoch.

FoFNL views the railways in the northern and eastern Highlands as one interlinked system pivoted on Inverness.  It is important to the FNL that the railways to Aberdeen, and to Perth and beyond are supported and improved.  FoFNL welcomes the proposals in the RTS to speed up services and increase the frequencies to hourly on both these lines.  Such hourly frequencies will make it much easier for passengers to connect to and from the FNL with its services to Wick, Kyle and the Easter Ross terminators.  
The prospect of a new station at Inverness Airport is also welcomed by FoFNL as are the proposed extra services to and from Elgin.  FoFNL considers that the long section from Nairn to Inverness should be provided with a loop at Dalcross or have the double track replaced onwards to Inverness.  In addition to helping with potential timber traffic to the Morayhill factory, the loop/double track delivers exactly the same performance improvements as would be the case at Lentran. 

The long sections of single track on the FNL and Aberdeen lines do not allow for any capacity increase, and are a hindrance to improving operational performance.  Thus Lentran and Dalcross loops or double track are essential improvements for these two Highland lines.

FoFNL is delighted to see a number of major rail schemes advancing in the south of Scotland in recent years.  Many commentators have noticed that the economic and social development benefits of similar schemes have not yet been made available to the Highlands.  FoFNL believes HITRANS has done a good job with its own strategy for improvements on the Perth and Aberdeen lines and has made a good case for socio-economic benefits to be felt as far north as Inverness.

In FoFNL's opinion HITRANS also needs to strengthen the case for similar benefits to be provided to passengers and freight operators on the Far North Line by supporting the early completion of the signalling and track improvements outlined in bold type above.

© FoFNL 6 January 2007