FOLLOW RIA
The National Infrastructure Commission has published a progress review of the Government's National Infrastructure Strategy, setting out what progress has been made and the priorities for the year, including in rail.
Darren Caplan, Chief Executive of the Railway Industry Association (RIA), said: “The National Infrastructure Commission is right to highlight the need for long term planning and clear funding commitments in rail, both of which are essential in building confidence in the supply sector and allowing it to deliver cost effectively, to time and to budget. “Whilst the Integrated Rail Plan has offered more certainty to the rail industry, there is still further work to be done. In particular, the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline – the list of rail upgrades planned over the coming years, including many of the projects in the Integrated Rail Plan – is still yet to be published, almost 900 days since the Government promised to. If the rail industry is going to have the clarity of future work the NIC mentions, it is vital the RNEP is published urgently.”
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. RIA has 300+ companies in membership in a sector that contributes £43 billion in economic growth and £14 billion in tax revenue each year, as well as employing 710,000 people. It is also a vital industry for the UK’s economic recovery, supporting green investment and jobs in towns and communities across the UK; for every £1 spent in rail, £2.50 is generated in the wider economy. 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).