EAST COAST MAINLINE PROGRAMME

Rating: The route's recast timetable - required to deliver the benefits of the programme - was introduced successfully in December 2025. This was not able to accommodate all of the services envisaged in the programme's business case in 2018, and so work is now underway to re-baseline the benefits of the investment.

Schedule: The infrastructure enhancements required to enable introduction of the recast timetable were completed successfully to schedule. Remaining works are for resilience purposes only, and scheduled for completion in May 2027.

Cost: Compared to financial year 24/25-Q4, the project's departmentally agreed Whole Life Cost at 25/26-Q4 increased from £1114m to £1122m. This is primarily due to increased costs associated with remaining power supply upgrade works on the route.

Source: NISTA Major Projects Annual Report 2025-26 (data)

Rating: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the Infrastructure Project Authority's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 24/25-Q4 remained at AMBER. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ The infrastructure upgrades required to introduce the route's recast timetable have now been delivered, but implementation of that timetable - originally proposed for 2021 - has been delayed on a number of occasions. It is now planned for introduction in December 2025, although a number of irresolvable conflicts across the route mean it will not be possible to realise the full benefits originally forecast.

Schedule: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the project's end-date at 24/25-Q4 increased from 02/06/2025 to 02/06/2026. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ Whilst the power supply upgrades required to enable introduction of the route's recast timetable are now complete, delivery of remaining power interventions - required for route resilience purposes only - have been pushed back due to commissioning delays caused by National Grid resourcing constraints. Close engagement is continuing between Network Rail and National Grid to learn lessons from these challenges, with ECML, Midland Main Line, and other national electrification projects contributing. Work also continues to explore ways in which the new forecast completion date can be brought forward.

Cost: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the project's departmentally agreed Whole Life Cost at 24/25-Q4 (measured in £m) remained at 1040. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ The Programme has an approved budget of up to £1,230m, which includes Network Rail's contingency and DfT's assessment of optimism bias totalling £305m. A number of risks have materialised, costs have increased due to Covid-19, and minor additional scope added to the Programme, so the forecast spend is now £74m more than the baseline cost of £1,040m. The Department and Network Rail are working to ensure that remaining upgrades are delivered as cost effectively as possible.

Source: NISTA Annual Report 2024-25 (data)

Rating: Compared to financial year 22/23-Q4, the Senior Responsible Owner's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 23/24-Q4 remained at Amber. This is primarily due to the following factors. Although all of the infrastructure upgrades required to operate the new East Coast Main Line timetable have now been delivered, the Programme's Amber rating reflects the challenging schedule for agreeing and finalising the timetable specification. This activity is being led by the Department's Passenger Services team, and, as of 31/03/24, implementation will not be before December 2024.

Schedule: Compared to financial year 22/23-Q4, the project's end-date at 23/24-Q4 increased from 2024-12-01 to 2025-06-02. This is primarily due to the following factors. Whilst the power supply upgrades required to operate the new timetable have now been delivered, the remaining interventions (required for route resilience purposes) are now forecast for completion in June 2025.

Cost: Compared to financial year 22/23-Q4, the project's departmental-agree Whole Life Cost at 23/24-Q4 remained at 1040m. This is primarily due to the following factors. The baseline whole life cost for the project has not changed and forecast costs remain within the funding range agreed with HM Treasury for the delivery of the Programme.

Source: IPA Annual Report 2023-24 (data)