Improved capacity utilisation is a central element of the Strategic Rail Authority’s plans for effective delivery of its objectives. The aim is to provide properly performing train services, which meet demand for growth in a way that maximises overall value for money, and is affordable. This Route Utilisation Strategy has been developed for the Great Western Main Line to meet these aims, and specifically for the following reasons:

• There is a continuing need to improve operational performance on the route. This document examines the structure of the timetable to identify areas where changes will deliver better performance, and, potentially, more regular service patterns;
• Ongoing passenger growth is anticipated, resulting in continuing peak commuter capacity and crowding issues particularly in the London and Bristol areas;
• Growth in freight traffic is forecast and potential competition for capacity between passenger and freight may develop, particularly on the Reading – Oxford corridor. The strategy assesses the extent to which freight growth can be accommodated on the existing network in the period up until 2012;
• There is a need to define and develop service patterns in order to inform the scope of major infrastructure renewal projects, particularly signalling renewals, which Network Rail plans to implement across much of the area in the next decade; and
• To provide a framework for effective engineering access, taking into account the passenger and freight markets on the route.