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The shambolic failure of Network Rail to deliver electrification of the Great Western and other routes in Control Period 5 requires ‘heads to roll’ before CP6.

There can be no ‘brushing under the carpet’ the pathetic failures to control budgets and meet timescales. Individuals must be held to account. If the buck stops at the top, then cheerio Mark Carne.

Every enhancements project (not just electrification) with NR seems to be either late, over budget, or being priced off the agenda.

Why weren’t derogations sought for new, higher EU electrification clearances? Why wasn’t the new piling kit properly tested in British conditions?

Who can blame the Government for choosing to invest heavily in roads, when NR has messed up rail enhancement so comprehensively in CP5? What is required to sort out NR enhancement, and especially electrification, is as follows:

Heads must roll. New leadership for enhancements at NR must happen to show Government that the rail industry means business in CP6 and beyond.

A prioritised rolling programme of electrification must be developed for CP6 and CP7.

Much of the problem with CP5 was trying and failing to do too much too soon. But it was the job of NR and the Office of Rail and Road in 2013 to communicate to Government that the programme of electrification was far too ambitious for a single five-year period. So just another NR failure.

The team ‘on the ground’ to deliver the prioritised programme of electrification (and enhancements generally) should draw on the best talent within Britain.

Those who are hopelessly tainted by the failures of the Great Western and so on can find work doing something else. But those who are hardworking (prepared to go the extra mile, literally) and fast and efficient at delivery of electrification (and new track) would be offered work in a handful of crack enhancement teams.

Pay would be excellent, but failure would not be tolerated. Working away from home would be the norm, but with free rail travel/accommodation, of course.

Meanwhile, HS2 and East West Rail would progress in parallel. hopefully showing how hopelessly inept NR has been over the last decade.

JOHN STRETTON. On August 12 2015, engineers work at Bathampton Junction (near Bath) as part of the Great Western Main Line electrification project. NR has been heavily criticised for projects coming in late and over budget.