ORR still considering ECML access

摘要

ORR has held a further hearing into applications for Long-Distance High-Speed paths on the East Coast Main Line. The hearing took place on March 4 and the transcript has now been released by ORR. Much of the hearing was occupied by arguments over reports prepared by consultancies on such issues as revenue generation and abstraction, ridership forecasts and the relevance of the Passenger Demand Forecast Handbook and other modelling tools and fares strategies. At the end of the hearing, a DfT representative asked whether the ORR board was expected to take a decision on the applications at its meeting this month, given the need for further work as revealed by the disagreements during the hearing.