[1][2] The report was published on 15 June 2009, and identified 14 commercially viable schemes involving new passenger lines, requiring the definite re-opening or construction of at least 30 new stations.
For the schemes to reach completion, the proposals would need to be taken forward by the respective local and regional governments, Network Rail (the infrastructure owner) and the Department for Transport.
ATOC took a top down approach to the method of identifying possible sites for introducing new services and infrastructure, by first identifying areas and communities not well served by the current national network, and then comparing those with opportunities for development based on simple reinstatement or existing lines or the construction of relatively short new lines.
This approach took into account the fact that many communities had grown in population since losing a previous service, and others had been entirely built without a rail connection.
This identified a candidate list of 75 possible communities, which were further reduced based on an analysis using passenger demand forecasting, local traffic congestion levels, local commuting patterns, the feasibility of any new rail route, the capital cost, and the proximity of existing rail access locations.
These would bring the benefit of providing new journey opportunities for passengers, as well as more options for diversionary routes for traffic on the national network.