John Smith, Managing Director, GB Railfreight

It’s perhaps worth reflecting that whatever the rights and wrongs of privatisation, in the past 20 years there has been unprecedented investment (both public and private), unprecedented growth in passenger/freight numbers, and ultimately it has delivered the safest railway in Europe for both customers and employees. All this on an extremely constrained network that was made so by British Railways removing infrastructure due to Treasury control and constraints.

Regarding rail freight, at privatisation the industry was on its knees. Wornout locomotives pulled ancient wagons in a decreasing market. What has taken place since has been transformational. Modern locomotives pulling efficient track-friendly wagons with people and equipment delivering double the productivity that they used to. GBRf alone has spent some £100 million on rolling stock in the past three years and employed a further 200 people.

Consequently, Dr Taylor needs to be very careful what he wishes for. Clearly some change is necessary, particularly in the franchising model, but diverting good railway managers away from the day job onto another politically driven whim will be disastrous. It will also put Government far closer to being held accountable for the wrongs of the network, something Dr Taylor will not be thanked for.

If Labour succeeds in an election, I fear the worst as political dogma will win out. Hopefully some pragmatism can be injected by those who know what they are talking about. British Railways sandwich anyone?