________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
On a mission to make travel to Europe easier and more sustainable, London St. Pancras Highspeed operates the UK’ s only high-speed railway, with trains reaching speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour on parts of the route. The 109-kilometer route from London to the Channel Tunnel connects London with Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and Kent, and the high-speed line gets people to where they need to be quickly and comfortably. Richard Thorp, Chief Operating Officer, provides more insight into London St. Pancras Highspeed’ s operations.
“ Earlier this year, we rebranded from High Speed 1 Ltd to London St. Pancras Highspeed,” he begins.“ As a company, we own the concession to operate, maintain and renew the UK’ s only operational high-speed railway, which connects St. Pancras International Station to the Channel Tunnel. Along this route, there are four stations: St. Pancras International, Stratford International, Ebbsfleet International, and a small section of Ashford in Kent that provides the vital international connection.
“ Our 30-year concession began in 2010 and runs through to 2040, but going back further in history, our railway at St. Pancras International was completed in 2007 and has since been successfully operating both high-speed domestic and international rail services. Recently, the Office of Rail and Road( ORR) completed our annual review, and our railway and asset performance has been rated as exceptional. This is a major piece of UK infrastructure which we are incredibly proud of, and we are committed to maintaining to the highest standards,” Richard emphasizes.
Maintaining or even exceeding the current levels of performance remains a top
... we own the concession to operate, maintain and renew the UK’ s only operational highspeed railway
priority for London St. Pancras Highspeed and requires significant investment in infrastructure renewal.“ Like most railways in the country, we operate a regulated asset, and the ORR reviews our plans every five years to determine whether they provide good value for money for our customers. Since April, we have been in our fourth control period( CP4), during which the ORR approved our renewal plans to invest about £ 300 million in the asset to maintain our high level of performance. This investment spans several asset groups. For example, about a third of the funding is allocated to a ballast renewal program scheduled to begin in 2028. Additionally, our renewals portfolio includes numerous mechanical and electrical assets, including the equipment that controls the 30 kilometers of tunnel along the railway.
“ Our portfolio also covers a broad range of renewals addressing wear and tear accumulated over the years. This includes track assets, switches and crossings, lineside fencing, and various civil assets. Network Rail High Speed, the contractor responsible for operations, maintenance, and renewals, manages these works on our behalf. Stations require ongoing maintenance as well, particularly for critical mechanical and electrical systems such as lifts and escalators, to ensure safe and continuous operation. In terms of efficiency, our control period cost plans submitted as part of the CP4 determination resulted in a 20 percent reduction in railway costs and a 30 percent reduction at our stations. This is a great outcome for our customers that reflects the high quality of asset management work we deliver,” Richard continues.
London St. Pancras Highspeed is also allocating £ 4 million towards research
94