A year of renaissance

KATE JENNINGS: Policy Director, Railway Industry Association

After what has been a difficult year, 2021 looks to bring much change to the industry.

The sector needs to continue to tackle the impact of Coronavirus, including (when appropriate) by encouraging passengers back onto the network. We can expect some major shifts domestically and internationally, too: the Williams Rail Review, new trading relationships with the EU and other nations, the rollout of digital signalling ,and the Government’s Transport Decarbonisation Plan are just a few of the changes the industry will face in 2021.

What would rail suppliers like to see from this coming year of change?

Firstly, as the structure of the industry is reviewed, it is vital that we continue to see investment in our railways. Although passenger numbers are low, we should expect them to return as they have after previous economic and health crises - as our 10 Reasons

to Continue to Invest in Rail document shows. Rail could lead the UK’s economic recovery, but to do so it requires support for speeding up projects, consistency in investment and visibility of schemes, such as those in the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline, and the imminent Integrated Rail Plan.

Secondly, the industry would like to see continued support for rail exports, as businesses navigate a new international environment post-EU transition. This means Government working with the industry to include rail in Free Trade Agreements, ensuring cross-border trade remains as smooth as possible, retaining access to skilled workers, managing changes to procurement and standards, and supporting UK businesses looking to export.

Thirdly, the industry needs investment decisions and recognition of the full value that decarbonising and digitalising the rail network can offer. For decarbonisation, that means urgently beginning a rolling programme of electrification before skills and expertise are lost, and initiating fleet orders of low-carbon, self-powered rolling stock.

For digitalisation, the industry needs to be ‘match fit’ for the coming bow-wave of work in Control Period 7. Digital signalling work should be brought forward, so businesses can build up capabilities.

And this is just the beginning - rail has the potential to make significant contributions to Government’s levelling up and skills, zero carbon, and data and productivity agendas. With support on the issues above, the rail supply community could make 2021 the year of the ‘rail renaissance’.