Rail network planning transparency
Lack of regular revamping and republication of the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline, leading to outdated and non-transparent planning.
113 items
6 sources
Strongest theme matches
Mixed across source types and ranked by classifier confidence plus text match strength.
Committee recommendation
95match
#8 - Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline undermined by lack of updates and immature projects.
The Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP) was a sound idea, undermined by a chronic lack of updates and by poor decisions to add immature or unfunded projects to the list. If these weaknesses were 50 addressed, it could form the basis of mature, informed communication with the rail sector and industry about enhancement projects. (Conclusion, Paragraph 66)
Matched on
terms: network, rail
Committee recommendation
91match
#9 - Revamp and annually republish the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline, reflecting all government decisions.
The Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline should be revamped and updated, taking account of all the decisions made by the Government on enhancements since July 2024. It should then be revised and re-published at least annually. (Recommendation, Paragraph 67)
Matched on
terms: network, rail
Committee recommendation
87match
#21 - Consistent strategic vision, not decades-long pipeline, is needed for railway investment planning.
We found little appetite during our inquiry for a detailed, confirmed pipeline of railway projects lasting decades into the future; this would be unrealistic. What is needed instead is a consistent strategic vision that predictably informs shorter-term planning, and which provides a reliable guide to strategic investment decisions for both Government and industry. (Conclusion, Paragraph 109)
Matched on
terms: planning, rail
Committee recommendation
86match
#23 - Set out clear objectives, commitments, and assessment criteria within the Long Term Rail Strategy.
In order to achieve this: • the Strategy should set out firm objectives on matters of long- term infrastructure policy including electrification, rolling stock, accessibility and capacity; • the Strategy should be the means for setting out commitments to the largest infrastructure programmes on the railway—those at the level of HS2 or Northern Powerhouse Rail which take more...
Matched on
terms: network, rail
Committee recommendation
82match
#20 - Lack of consistent strategic vision prevents stable railway investment pipelines.
A consistent strategic vision of what the railway is for and how it will contribute to the wider priorities of Government is fundamental to achieving stable investment pipelines. Successive governments have failed to articulate what they want the railway network to achieve as a core national asset and, therefore, how it will invest in the network to meet...
Matched on
terms: network, rail
Committee recommendation
82match
#6 - Develop plan for frequent collection and publication of UK rail network coverage data.
Progress in improving connectivity on UK railways has been hampered by a lack of up-to-date coverage data. Mobile connectivity along major rail routes remains poor and passengers can often struggle to make calls, stream videos or work online. Improving rail connectivity is very challenging, with tunnels, cuttings and safety glass on modern trains making reception difficult. It is...
Matched on
terms: network, rail
Committee recommendation
78match
#22 - Establish a Long Term Rail Strategy to provide certainty for investment priorities.
We welcome the provision made in the Railways Bill for a Long Term Rail Strategy: it is long past time that such a vision is set out for the railways. The Strategy must provide a basis for consensus and certainty about long- term investment priorities. If it puts in place stable scaffolding for practical plans and pipelines, the...
Matched on
terms: network, rail
Committee recommendation
74match
#1 - Uncertain and uneven rail investment cycles weaken the UK rail industry sector.
The UK rail network is a core national asset, supporting its own industrial ecosystem and underpinning broader economic growth and employment. The message from the rail industry has been clear: investment in that asset has too often been characterised by cycles of ‘boom and bust’, with uneven and uncertain funding and procurement putting the viability of employers (including...
Matched on
terms: network, rail
Committee recommendation
73match
#9 - First Report - Railway Infrastructure in Wales
While we welcome the positive working relationship between the Welsh and UK governments on rail infrastructure projects, we are concerned that the UK Government’s Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP) is too slow and hampers, rather than helps, the evaluation of infrastructure proposals. In response to this report we recommend that the UK Government should set out its plans...
Matched on
terms: network, rail
Committee recommendation
69match
#29 - Network Rail's Project Reach to improve railway connectivity experiencing significant delays
The Department told us that Network Rail, and in turn therefore the Department for Transport and its accounting officer, are responsible for the business case for improving connectivity on the railways. Owing to the infrastructure required, the case for improving connectivity has to be judged alongside other priorities for investment on the railways. Project Reach, Network Rail’s programme...
Matched on
terms: network, rail
Committee recommendation
66match
#2 - Major rail programmes require steady, sequenced, and clearly communicated investment spending.
Even major programmes which should be providing a pipeline of large-scale work far into the future have previously been subject to radical changes of scope and timetable. The January 2026 announcement about Northern Powerhouse Rail brings great expectations—but at present, few confirmed details. The announcement of new investment is hugely welcome, but the industry needs that spending to...
Matched on
terms: rail
Committee recommendation
65match
#13 - Implement ORR's review findings and identify RNEP projects suitable for private sector investment.
The RNEP should also be a tool for promoting rail infrastructure investment from sources other than central government. We urge the Government to implement the findings of the Office of Rail and Road’s review of the Rail Network Investment Framework, and in the next iteration of the RNEP, identify projects where private sector investment would be welcome, or...
Matched on
terms: network, rail
Committee recommendation
62match
#45 - East-west rail connectivity in the North now considered as series of programmes
The Department told us it is also carrying out development work on how to improve the east–west rail connectivity in the north of England. It said that this may well now be considered as a series of programmes and choices “rather than a big totemic thing” as originally envisaged by Northern Powerhouse Rail.77 76 Qq 66–68 77 Q...
Matched on
terms: rail
Committee recommendation
62match
#10 - Delay and withdrawal of immature rail schemes erodes industry and community confidence.
The delay or withdrawal of immature schemes is disruptive for industry and disappointing for communities who expected to benefit from new or upgraded facilities and services. It erodes confidence in the ability of the system to prioritise the right projects, identify what is viable, match it to supply chain capability, and secure the necessary funding. (Conclusion, Paragraph 68)
Matched on
terms: rail
Committee recommendation
61match
#28 - Lack of detailed railway mobile coverage data hinders understanding of challenges
The Department told us that it lacks sufficiently detailed data of coverage across the railways. To understand the coverage challenges along different stretches of track, it needs data for each metre. In 2020, the National Infrastructure Commission recommended that Ofcom should report on mobile coverage on the railways at least every two years. Ofcom’s last study on rail...
Matched on
terms: rail
Committee recommendation
61match
#18 - Publish an urgent rolling stock strategy, aligned with pipelines and developed with industry.
We welcome the Government’s commitment to publishing a rolling stock strategy in 2026: this work is urgent. The strategy must be clearly aligned with the pipeline of both major projects and enhancements, so that decisions about track and about the trains that will run on it can be taken in a timely, coordinated way. It should provide near-term...
Matched on
terms: planning
Committee recommendation
61match
#16 - Clarify relationship between UK Infrastructure Pipeline and RNEP for consistent industry information.
While we recognise the fledging status of the UK Infrastructure Pipeline, we are unconvinced of its current usefulness to stakeholders in the rail industry because of its lack of detail at the necessary scale. We ask the Department for Transport to set out how the UK Infrastructure Pipeline will relate to the RNEP, the purpose of each, and...
Matched on
terms: rail
Committee recommendation
61match
#15 - Promptly reflect outcomes of Spending Reviews and government announcements in RNEP updates.
The 2025 Spending Review has provided welcome clarity on what inherited enhancements the Department is proceeding with and those which it has decided to pause. Such announcements do not, however, provide 51 information in the format or detail necessary to populate a pipeline which can be traced clearly over time and which provides consistency of information to the...
Matched on
terms: rail
Committee recommendation
61match
#12 - Require a high viability bar for RNEP projects and regular review by key bodies.
The RNEP should not become an unfunded wishlist: there must be a high bar of viability for projects to be included, and a commensurately high bar for any subsequent decision to remove them from the pipeline. The inclusion and status of projects should be regularly reviewed by the Secretary of State, the Office of Rail and Road and,...
Matched on
terms: rail
Committee recommendation
60match
#17 - Third Report - Fuelling the future: motive power and connectivity
As stated in our ‘Trains fit for the future?’ report, we recommend that the Department for Transport publish a long-term strategy for decarbonising the rail network as a matter of priority. This should include a vision for what proportion of the future network will use electrification, battery and hydrogen. That strategy should be supported by appropriate costings, a...
Matched on
terms: network, rail
Committee recommendation
60match
#1 - First Report - Railway Infrastructure in Wales
There is a strong environmental and economic case for substantially enhancing the rail infrastructure that serves Wales, and the passenger experience of slow services and inadequate stations only underlines the need for an upgraded network. The South East Wales Transport Commission, chaired by Lord Burns, demonstrated the relationship between enhanced rail infrastructure, integrated public transport, decarbonisation and, ultimately,...
Matched on
terms: network, rail
Committee recommendation
60match
#15 - Twenty-Fourth - Crossrail: A progress update
Once the central section opens, commuters must still change to other Elizabeth line services to continue their journeys on the eastern and western ends. The opening of full east-west services must align with national rail timetable changes which take place in May and December each year. TfL told us it was reviewing the staged opening approach inherited from...
Matched on
terms: network, rail
PFD report
57match
Carl Klimaytys
The fact that a member of the public discovered the body on the railway platform raises concerns about monitoring and detection systems.
Matched on
terms: rail
Committee recommendation
56match
#8 - First Report - Railway Infrastructure in Wales
A number of witnesses to our inquiry suggested that a more joined-up and clearer approach to Wales’s infrastructure needs was required in order to unlock investment. We therefore recommend that the UK Government should establish a Wales Rail Board, consisting of itself, the Welsh Government, Network Rail, the rail operators providing services in Wales, and Transport for Wales....
Matched on
terms: network, rail
Committee recommendation
56match
#7 - First Report - Railway Infrastructure in Wales
Bringing forward new proposals for greater connectivity between Swansea-Cardiff- Bristol, which would include completing electrification on the mainline between Cardiff and Swansea and a Swansea Bay Metro to integrate the public transport network westwards to Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire and feed rail patronage from Swansea, would be an important sign of the UK Government’s commitment to its green agenda...
Matched on
terms: network, rail
Committee recommendation
53match
#4 - Twenty-Fourth - Crossrail: A progress update
We are concerned that TfL and the Department do not have a plan to maximise the long-term, wider economic benefits of Crossrail. When open, the Elizabeth line should increase capacity in central London by around 10%, reduce journey times, improve connectivity and be a fully accessible railway. TfL expects the Elizabeth line to contribute towards its net zero...
Matched on
terms: rail
Committee recommendation
53match
#3 - Twenty-Fourth - Crossrail: A progress update
It is not clear to passengers and businesses when the Elizabeth line will open or what services will be available. The Elizabeth line services will open in stages. Services have been running on the eastern and western ends of the line (under the brand name ‘TfL Rail’) since June 2017 and May 2018, respectively. Opening of the central...
Matched on
terms: rail
Committee recommendation
53match
#10 - Second Report - The Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands
A full assessment of the levelling up impact of the various NPR and HS2 Eastern leg options does not appear to have been carried out to date. The Government must ensure that the impact of NPR decisions on Bradford in particular is robustly assessed, including producing BCR analyses for all NPR options. This is consistent with the spirit...
Matched on
terms: rail
Committee recommendation
53match
#7 - Second Report - The Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands
The Government’s levelling up agenda commits it to ending geographical inequality in the UK. However, by underserving the rail needs of the North of England it is letting down those who require change the most. Upgrading lines will undoubtedly bring modest benefits to rail services in the North and Midlands, but not to the 34 The Integrated Rail...
Matched on
terms: rail
Committee recommendation
52match
#13 - First Report - Railway Infrastructure in Wales
The Williams-Shapps review said that the UK Government wishes to establish a new working agreement between Great British Railways (GBR) and Transport for Wales. We believe that the Wales Rail Board we have recommended would be the correct setting in which to negotiate new arrangements which should support the enhancement of rail infrastructure as part of a joined-up...
Matched on
terms: rail
Committee recommendation
48match
#14 - Twenty-Fourth - Crossrail: A progress update
The Elizabeth line services will open in stages as different part of the line are completed. Services have been running on the eastern and western ends of the line (under the brand name ‘TfL Rail’) since June 2017 and May 2018, respectively.41 Crossrail Ltd expects the central tunnelled section to open between February and June 2022 and will...
Matched on
terms: rail
Committee recommendation
48match
#9 - Second Report - The Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands
The potential of Bradford as an engine room of the Northern Powerhouse may be squandered if it is not given opportunities to thrive through better connectivity. Direct high speed connections would give the city access to a much broader pool of labour, as well as allowing other cities to benefit from the talent and potential of its own...
Matched on
terms: rail
Committee recommendation
48match
#8 - Second Report - The Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands
The Government must remain open to the possibility that this thorough reassessment of the evidence base, taking full account of the impact on levelling up communities in the North and Midlands, may show that Options 2 or 3 for Northern Powerhouse Rail represent the best potential value. If so, they must grasp that nettle. Extra costs are not...
Matched on
terms: rail
Committee recommendation
48match
#16 - First Report - Railway Infrastructure in Wales
The development of the HS2 programme in England could yield direct benefits to Welsh rail passengers if it is accompanied by enhancements to the North Wales mainline, including the upgrades at Chester and Crewe stations which will be required for full electrification of the North Wales mainline to proceed. We recommend that the UK Government, working in partnership...
Matched on
terms: rail
Committee recommendation
48match
#2 - First Report - Railway Infrastructure in Wales
Improving transport infrastructure within Wales must be a priority and should focus on how infrastructure initiatives can remedy deprivation, boost the Welsh economy and contribute to meeting decarbonisation targets. Enhancements should include a focus on improving connectivity within Wales, such as more efficient rail links between North and South Wales, as well as between Wales and the rest...
Matched on
terms: rail
Committee recommendation
47match
#4 - Sixth Report - Trains fit for the future?
We recommend that the Department for Transport publishes a long-term strategy for decarbonising the rail network as a matter of priority. This should include a vision for what proportion of the future network will use electrification, battery and hydrogen. That strategy should be supported by appropriate costings, a credible delivery plan, and enabling targets and milestones. These targets...
Matched on
terms: network, rail
PFD report
45match
Malcolm Potter
The pedestrian crossing's warning light system is inadequately positioned and not synchronized for multiple trains, creating a significant re-crossing risk on a busy commuter line.
Matched on
classifier match
PFD report
45match
Patrick Bolster
A broken fence was not inspected for over two years due to dense vegetation blocking the view, inspectors failed to view the fence from the public side, and system failures led to the track engineer and internal auditors not seeing evidence of the failure to inspect the fence.
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
45match
#14 - Identify regional schemes in the RNEP and include all devolved authority enhancement projects.
The RNEP should also identify those schemes which are most appropriate for funding and delivery at a regional level, such as those where alignment with national objectives is not sufficient to warrant full central government funding but which would be viable with local contributions. Confirmed enhancements projects being delivered or partially delivered by devolved authorities should be included...
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
45match
#11 - Require the RNEP to clearly set out committed funding and provide 5-year rolling certainty.
The RNEP should set out clearly how much funding has been committed, from what sources, and for the purpose of reaching which milestones. It should provide certainty at least five years into the future on a rolling basis, with an indicative pipeline of up to 15 years beyond that. (Recommendation, Paragraph 69)
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
44match
#4 - First Report - Railway Infrastructure in Wales
The Union Connectivity Review represents a significant opportunity to establish priorities for rail infrastructure which will not only support economic development and decarbonisation in Wales, but improve the experience of those passengers for whom cross-border travel is simply local commuting. The UK Government was elected on the basis of a clear commitment to infrastructure investment and its response...
Matched on
terms: rail
Committee recommendation
44match
#3 - First Report - Railway Infrastructure in Wales
A number of potential infrastructure upgrades suggested by witnesses to our inquiry are cross-border in nature, reflecting the relatively short distance between key urban areas such as Cardiff and Bristol in South Wales and Wrexham and Merseyside in the North East. The cross-border rail connections between England and Wales, and the level of socio-economic integration between border communities...
Matched on
terms: rail
Committee recommendation
44match
#21 - Second Report - The Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands
Journey time reductions—albeit not to the same degree as promised by previous plans—are a headline benefit of the IRP. We received detailed evidence that cast doubt on the plausibility of the times achievable under the new plans. We ask the Government to publish its full technical appraisals of the feasibility of these reductions, so that communities and stakeholders...
Matched on
terms: rail
NAO recommendation
44match
Completing Crossrail
RfLi should set out a plan to realise and monitor the benefits of running a fully digital railway.
Matched on
terms: rail
Committee recommendation
41match
#21 - Actively pursue a Veterinary Medicines Agreement with the EU to facilitate smoother trade
The Government should actively pursue a Veterinary Medicines Agreement with the EU in tandem with the SPS agreement to facilitate smoother trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. In its response to this report, the Government should set out its priorities and timeline for such an agreement. (Recommendation, Paragraph 60) Biosecurity at the border
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
41match
#13 - Provide and publish a clear, realistic transition timetable for common SPS area
The Government should provide a clear, realistic transition timetable for moving to a common SPS area, published with key milestones at least 12–24 months in advance. This must not be subject to repeated changes, and implementation plans should be developed with businesses, industry, port health and local authorities. (Recommendation, Paragraph 42)
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
41match
#12 - Frequent border policy changes cause disruption, requiring realistic and stable timelines
Frequent border policy changes over recent years have created disruption, uncertainty and financial pressure for port health and local authorities. Stakeholders are clear that another shift in border regimes will only be manageable if timelines are realistic, communicated early, and not subject to repeated revisions or delays. (Conclusion, Paragraph 41) 35
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
41match
#6 - Urgently publish timeline for extending Awaab's Law to all hazards by March 2026.
The Government must urgently set and publish the timeline for extending Awaab’s Law to all remaining hazards, so that tenants and social landlords have clarity about when they can expect these new regulations to apply. This should be produced no later than 1st March 2026 to enable social housing providers to factor the relevant costs into their budgets...
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
41match
#17 - Absence of long-term rolling stock strategy created damaging boom-and-bust investment cycles.
The pattern of boom and bust has been especially apparent in rolling stock investment. There is widespread agreement, including from the Government, that the absence of a long-term rolling stock strategy, aligned to a similar strategy for infrastructure, has resulted in damaging missed opportunities and fluctuations in orders over many years. (Conclusion, Paragraph 90)
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
35match
#3 - Sixth Report - Trains fit for the future?
While we recognise the immediate challenges brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, we are concerned about the frequent delays to the publication of the Department’s Transport Decarbonisation Plan and the Rail Reform White Paper based on the Williams Review. These delays have unfortunately compounded the difficulties for the rail industry to plan and invest in the development of...
Matched on
terms: rail