Network Rail's (NR) South London Route Utilisation Strategy (SLRUS), published in March 2008 (SLRUS) was the eighth Route Utilisation Strategy to be produced. By default, RUSs are established by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) unless the latter objects within 60 days. The RUS is included in NR's map as established. The scope includes the London suburban lines of Strategic Route 1 - Kent, including lines as far as Hayes, Sevenoaks and Rochester (but excluding the Swanley-Rochester line) and those of Route 2 - Brighton Main Line and Sussex, including lines as far as Horsham (via Dorking), Epsom Downs, Purley (plus the branches to Tattenham Corner and Caterham), East Grinstead and Uckfield. Where routes are four-tracked the fast lines are generally excluded. As such the routes are heavily short/medium distance commuter routes into London, but there are some freight services as well. The lines excluded from Routes 1 and 2 are to be covered in the Kent RUS and the Sussex RUS. As with other RUSs, the SLRUS took into account a number of responses, including the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR). Some issues are closely related to other published RUSs: South West Main Line RUS, Cross London RUS; Freight RUS; East Coast Main Line RUS. The Strategic Rail Authority's (SRA) Brighton Main Line (BML) RUS, published February 2006, as superseded by the Department for Transport's (DfT) consultation and briefing, led to changes in the December 2008 timetable; the most important of these is the change to the Gatwick Express service in the morning peak. The Kent, Sussex and East Midlands RUSs will have some interfaces with the SLRUS. Timescales and related projects The RUS needs to be seen against existing contingent and prospective schemes, most notably the Thameslink project and the East London Line (ELL) extension (ELLx). Thameslink will see a step-change in services continuing through central London onto the network north of London, which are currently limited to 15 trains per hour in each direction (tph) at 8-car length; many interventions identified in the SLRUS are interdependent with certain works in this programme. Phase 1 of the ELL extension (ELLx1), already authorised at time of SLRUS publication, will incorporate new services on the lines from West Croydon and Crystal Palace to New Cross Gate; Phase 2 (authorised in February 2009) will incorporate new services on a route from Clapham Junction to Surrey Quays via a currently freight-only line,