RIA seeks to improve visibility with its own enhancements pipeline

The Railway Industry Association has published its own version of the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline, three years since the first (and last) announcement was made by government.

Created on October 21 2019, the RNEP was intended to provide certainty and transparency through the annual update of a pipeline of enhancement projects in England and Wales.

However, since then, there has been a reduction in the rail enhancement budget for Control Period 6 (April 2019-March 2024). Meanwhile, RIA argues that the lack of any subsequent update has led to “considerable rail supply sector uncertainty and concern”.

In RIA’s alternative RNEP, all 58 projects included in the original document have been given a green, amber or red rating. These ratings are based on a scheme either being complete or in delivery, progressing towards a Strategic Outline Business Case or Outline Business Case, or if there is no publicly available information about the status of a project.

RIA deemed a total of 18 projects to be Green, including WiganBolton electrification and the East Coast Digital Programme.

Twenty-one were Amber, including congestion relief on the Castlefield Corridor and passenger improvements at London Liverpool Street, while 19 were Red. Those projects included reinstatement of the Skipton-Colne line and the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement.

RIA identified a further eight projects which were not included in the 2019 RNEP, including Midland Main Line electrification and the Integrated Rail Plan.

“While we are aware there is increased pressure on public spending, RIA and our members are simply asking for visibility on what the Government is planning on rail enhancements projects,” said RIA Chief Executive Darren Caplan.

“Ultimately, this uncertainty is holding back the supply sector’s potential to deliver both economic growth around the UK and also improvements for passengers and freight customers.”

On October 20, RIA also wrote an open letter to new Chancellor Jeremy Hunt asking him and the Treasury not to reduce investment in rail, despite the current downturn in the country’s economic outlook.

The trade association calculates that for every £1 spend on rail, £2.50 is generated elsewhere in the economy.

Rail supports 710,000 jobs across the UK, contributes £43 billion in Gross Value Added, and provides up to £800 million in exports.

Hunt was due to announce the Government’s spending decisions as part of a medium-term fiscal plan on November 17 (see RAIL 970).