[4][5] Despite this the delivery timescales continually slipped: at the end of CP3 no fewer than 9 (almost half) remained incomplete (still in progress or not yet established), despite the fact that funding for infrastructure developments in CP4 was largely set.
The Network RUS is divided into four largely self-contained workstreams: long-distance traffic and generic cross-RUS issues; stations; rolling stock and depots; electrification.
The main part of the study takes place over a period of a year or two, and this concludes with the production and distribution of a draft strategy document.
The strategy document itself normally consists of a fairly standard number of sections: an introduction and explanation of context; a fairly detailed presentation of current services; a forecast of future changes (overwhelmingly increases) in demand; gaps in resources; options for satisfying the demand; the recommended strategy.
This would be the case in one or more of the following situations: when there has been a change in circumstances; if ordered to by the ORR; when (for whatever reason) it is clear the recommendations are probably no longer valid.
Nevertheless, a further generation of three RUSs are underway, two of them covering a much broader geographical area than the originals, together with an extended timescale.