Be tackled to boost rail’s image

has been put firmly back on the political agenda in the run-up to the General Election on June 8.

He added: “The level of expectation for people with disabilities is enormous, and rightly so, posing some challenges but also an opportunity to transform ancient infrastructure for equal access.

“Having one railway with one team doesn’t mean one leader, or no competition, or no innovation. We want contestability and companies to compete together to drive innovation. We are still delivering huge growth on the railways, but there is a challenge and opportunity to do that in future more effectively.”

Plummer also turned his attention to autonomous vehicles. He said that they did not pose a future threat as an alternative to rail travel, but would instead prove complimentary, by being used for short distances from homes to local stations.

“I think it’s an incredibly exciting opportunity to provide integration, and concentrate on what rail does well and how it interfaces with other transport modes. It’s about getting to the station, it’s positive, and something we should explore.”