Optimising rail-replacement bus services during infrastructure possessions

Abstract

Providing rail-replacement bus services is a common strategy applied to handle track blockage situations in railway networks. Previously, a great deal of research has focused on modelling this strategy, particularly in the case of unplanned disruptions. However, little attention has been paid to planned disruptions where passengers know the situation in advance and the duration of the disruption is significantly longer. In this study, the authors propose a model that can be used to investigate the optimal solution of implementing a replacement bus service to minimise the impact of infrastructure possessions. The model is developed based on a discrete-event simulation technique and uses a genetic algorithm to minimise passenger delays and the cost of operations. The interaction between trains and buses is taken into account. Thus, the passenger flow within the network can be simulated in microscopic detail. Finally, an application of the proposed model is presented using the Liverpool railway network in the UK.