Long-term planning
We’re responsible for understanding and shaping what the future of Britain’s railway looks like through delivery of long-term plans.
This work is done by dedicated ‘Strategic Network Planning teams’. Their job is to understand;
- how the railway contributes to national and regional economic growth and improvements in social well-being
- what the railway is capable of and how it delivers a service to passengers and freight users
- what the likely changes to demand, passenger needs and patterns of train service will be in the future
- what kind of changes to the railway as a whole we should make in future.
Strategic Network Planning work at a local level, with our regions; the industry; from train operators; and transport bodies to provide strategic advice to funders.
Funders use this advice to understand the complexities of the railway and to make informed investment decisions.
These investment decisions could be potential changes required to service specification, the timetable, rolling stock and/or infrastructure. The recommendations focus on the long-term railway – ensuring rail provides socio-economic benefits for passengers, freight-users and the general public.
LTPP documents
You will find our long-term planning documents in the list below.
Regional planning documents
Freight planning
Digital Railway for Freight and National Passenger Operators
2 MB
Continuous Modular Strategic Planning
Rail freight forecasts: Scenarios for 2023/24
3 MB
Issued May 2018, revised August 2020
Rail freight forecasts: Scenarios for 2033/34 & 2043/44
3 MB
Issued July 2019, revised August 2020
Routeing of rail freight forecasts
6 MB
Issued August 2020