Railway industry calls on new government for clarity on rail enhancements

The Railway Industry Association (RIA), representing UK rail suppliers, has announced that it is urging the new government to clarify its plans for rail infrastructure enhancements to provide businesses with the confidence needed to continue investing in the UK rail sector.

This appeal comes five years after the last comprehensive rail enhancement pipeline had been published by the previous government on 21 October 2019. At that time, there had been a commitment to release a Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP) annually, a practice that has not been followed since.

RIA Chief Executive Darren Caplan emphasised the need for suppliers to have visibility of future government plans, stating, “Suppliers need visibility of the government’s future plans to invest with confidence. Five years is a long time to have no visible pipeline for rail enhancements not least because roughly £2 billion per year of taxpayer money was allocated for these rail projects. The upcoming Budget on 30 October is a good opportunity to announce what the future approach to providing clarity will be, including whether the RNEP process will be discontinued by the new government.”

Many RIA members and other UK supply sector businesses have expressed concerns about the uncertainty surrounding work pipelines. They have cited the lack of clarity on enhancements as a major issue, urging the government to establish a long-term plan that would allow rail suppliers to better plan their resources and investments, ultimately ensuring value for money for taxpayers.

However, Caplan noted some positive developments, including Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood’s recent statement on the government’s intent to create a more “unified system for the railways.” He also welcomed commitments from the government to continue funding major projects such as HS2 Phase 1 and Transport Secretary Louise Haigh’s pledge to end the “boom and bust” cycle in rail manufacturing with a long-term strategy for rolling stock.

The RIA now seeks further details on how these plans will benefit the railway industry, as well as passengers, freight customers and taxpayers.