Third of main rail enhancement initiatives caught in sidings

There may be now deep concern amongst contractors and suppliers about slippage and a scarcity of official programme transparency.

Their commerce physique, the Rail Trade Affiliation, has now taken the step of finishing up its personal progress audit on the deliberate rolling programme of 58 enhancement initiatives, after the Division of Transport’s failure to publish annual progress updates as initially promised.

The Authorities initially dedicated £10.4bn for enhancements in CP6, however has since revised down this quantity to £9.6bn. However the provide chain warns it’s now working in the dead of night about precisely which initiatives will progress and which shall be delayed or cancelled.

The affiliation warns that failure to publish any subsequent replace has led to appreciable rail provide sector uncertainty and concern.

The RIA’s evaluation reveals that there was vital progress on most of the RNEP schemes, with 18 progressing in direction of design, supply or completion.

But it surely warns the 19 purple and 21 amber entries spotlight the numerous uncertainty across the important programme and the necessity for Authorities to concern an replace on the standing of those schemes.

RIA’s tough evaluation reveals that about £6bn has been spent or introduced thus far, together with £2.9bn allotted for the Transpennine Route Improve however not the complete £9bn-11.5bn estimated to be required for all the challenge.

Affiliation chief govt Darren Caplan mentioned: “It’s three years because the first and final publication of the Rail Community Enhancements Pipeline, regardless of the Authorities committing to publish an annual replace. This has led to a scarcity of visibility for rail suppliers, who’re merely seeking to plan and spend money on their companies and workforces to conduct the work.

“Whereas we’re all conscious there are tough financial instances forward, in addition to elevated strain on public spending, RIA and our members are merely asking for visibility on what the Authorities is planning on rail enhancements initiatives – we’re not lobbying on budgets.

“It’s welcome that many RNEP initiatives are literally being accomplished or progressing, however a transparent matter of concern that there was no replace on nearly half of those schemes since 2019.”