Rail industry welcomes Ipsos MORI poll showing 58% of MPs support rail investment

20 July 2020

 

A newly published survey by polling company Ipsos MORI has shown that a majority of MPs (58%) list rail investment as their highest infrastructure priority and that rail investment is the joint second highest priority with the public, at 39%.

Darren Caplan, Chief Executive of the Railway Industry Association, said: “The Ipsos MORI survey published today shows that rail investment is a key issue for both politicians and the public. Rail infrastructure is essential to the UK and its economy, and – as we look to spur an economic recovery after the Coronavirus outbreak – rail investment has an even bigger role to play in catalysing green jobs and economic growth across the UK’s towns and communities. We therefore urge the Government to work with the sector to back our SURE campaign to ‘Speed Up Rail Enhancements’, announce specific railway schemes, and deliver the economic bounce back our economy needs.”

Notes to Editors

 

  1. The Ipsos MORI research can be found here
  2. About RIA: The Railway Industry Association (RIA) is the voice of the UK rail supply community. We help to grow a sustainable, high-performing, railway supply industry, and to export UK rail expertise and products. We promote and represent our members’ interests to policy makers, clients and other stakeholders in the UK and overseas. RIA has 300+ companies in membership in a sector that contributes £36 billion in economic growth and £11 billion in tax revenue each year, as well as employing 600,000 people—more than the workforce of Birmingham. It is also a growing industry with the number of rail journeys expected to double over the next 25 years and freight set to grow significantly too. RIA’s membership is active across the whole of railway supply, covering a diverse range of products and services and including both multi-national companies and SMEs (60% by number). RIA works to promote the importance of the rail system to UK plc, to help export UK expertise around the globe and to share best practice and innovation across the industry.