The White Paper response to Sir Roy McNulty’s Rail Value for Money report will now be published in the new year.
Originally scheduled to be released in late November, the delay in publication will allow Network Rail and TOCs additional time to prepare their own initiatives with regard to reducing costs.
The McNulty report states that reductions of up to 30%, representing around £1 billion a year, could be made by the rail industry, partially by Network Rail making reforms.
The new timescale will also allow greater consideration to be given to other issues surrounding reforming the rail industry and for a command paper to be published reflecting on the government’s decision on HS2.
Delaying publication puts the government’s plans to award longer franchises on hold, as little progress can be made on this front until the White Paper has been published.
With a number of franchises coming up for renewal in the not-too-distant future this will have to be addressed with some urgency.
The changes in rail franchising, that would see franchises of around 15 years, would not only reduce the Department for Transport’s involvement in day-to-day management but encourage train operators to invest in train services and infrastructure.
