Rail industry needs root and branch reform
The UK rail industry will need a major overhaul if it is to deliver genuine improvements in performance, a group of MPs has warned.
A report out today from the transport select committee called for both the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) and Network Rail to be replaced with a single public body.
The report comes just days after Network Rail announced a £26 billion investment programme to improve the state of the rail network and improve punctuality.
“The chronic fragmentation in all parts of the industry means that the railway as a whole is incapable of providing an excellent service,” said veteran Labour MP Gwyneth Dunwoody, who chairs the committee.
The committee also criticised the rail regulator, Tom Winsor, for failing in his “core function” of regulating the operation of Network Rail.
Network Rail was set up in 2001 by then transport secretary Stephen Byers. The not-for-profit-trust took over responsibility for managing the rail network after Railtrack was placed into administration.
Despite record levels of investment under Labour, less than 80 per cent of trains currently run on time.
