Home / Sources / Select Committees / Transport Committee / Rail investment pipelines: ending boom …
Index live
Select Committee · Transport Committee

Rail investment pipelines: ending boom and bust

Status: Closed Opened: 17 Dec 2024 Closed: 21 Jul 2026 15 recommendations 12 conclusions 1 report

The Transport Committee is examining investment pipelines for the railway. This inquiry will examine how a planned, steady pipeline of projects and investments (including elements such as track enhancements, station upgrades, and rolling stock orders) could benefit the development of the railway, including by enabling the rail supply industry to plan ahead, giving confidence to … Show more

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
7th Report - Rail investment pipelines: ending boom and bust HC 575 10 Feb 2026 27 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

6 items
8 Conclusion 7th Report - Rail investment pipelines:… Accepted in Part

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 … Read more

Government response AI summary
The Government agrees that smoothing workload is important but does not agree that making changes to the funding method is the right solution. Government agrees that the pipeline must clearly distinguish between funded commitments and earlier-stage proposals but does not support publishing extended indicative pipelines …
Read full response →
Department for Transport
12 Recommendation 7th Report - Rail investment pipelines:… Accepted in Part

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 … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees any pipeline must clearly distinguish between funded commitments and earlier-stage proposals. They recognize the Committee's interest in greater clarity on the level and source of funding committed to individual schemes and will set out scheme-level funding allocations.
Read full response →
Department for Transport
13 Recommendation 7th Report - Rail investment pipelines:… Accepted in Part

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 … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government supports private investment in rail where it delivers value for money, but will signal opportunities through pipeline publications and structured market engagement rather than using the RNEP as a general prospectus.
Read full response →
Department for Transport
14 Recommendation 7th Report - Rail investment pipelines:… Accepted in Part

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 … Read more

Government response AI summary
The Enhancements Portfolio and the associated pipeline publications will provide visibility of regionally led and co-funded schemes where they affect the national network, supporting alignment with national objectives and full transparency for industry.
Read full response →
Department for Transport
15 Recommendation 7th Report - Rail investment pipelines:… Accepted in Part

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 … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the importance of transparency and forward visibility, stating they are moving towards more regular, structured, and accessible publication of the enhancements portfolio; they will set out a potential pipeline that will provide an indicative view of strategically aligned schemes.
Read full response →
Department for Transport
17 Conclusion 7th Report - Rail investment pipelines:… Accepted in Part

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 … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees that the experience of Control Period transitions should be examined, including the start of CP7 and the potential for volatility within Control Periods so that lessons can be learned to strengthen mobilisation, sequencing and improve delivery for the supply chain but does …
Read full response →
Department for Transport

Oral evidence sessions

5 sessions
Date Witnesses
16 Jul 2025 Alan Over · Department for Transport, Alex Hynes · Department for Transport, Lord Hendy CBE · Department for Transport View ↗
2 Jul 2025 David Leeder · Transport Investment Limited, Dawn Badminton-Capps · North East Combined Authority, Huw Merriman, former Rail Minister, Jim Steer · Greengauge 21, Liz Goldsby · Transport for Greater Manchester, Mal Drury-Rose · West Midlands Rail Executive View ↗
18 Jun 2025 John Leach · RMT, John McGookin · Unite the Union, Jonathan Spruce · Institution for Civil Engineers, Jonathan Spruce · Institution of Civil Engineers, Mick Whelan · ASLEF, Miss Lydia Amarquaye · Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Neil Robertson · National Skills Academy for Rail, Robin Jenks · TSSA (Transport Salaried Staffs' Association), Stephen Barber · Permanent Way Institution View ↗
11 Jun 2025 Christoph Pasternak · Eurofima, Malcolm Brown · Angel Trains Ltd, Peter Broadley · Alstom UK & Ireland, Sambit Banerjee · Siemens Mobility Limited View ↗
7 May 2025 Elaine Clark OBE · Rail Forum, Jeremy Westlake · Network Rail, Michelle Craven-Faulkner · Rail Forum, Noel Travers · Railway Industry Association, Robert Cook · Railway Industry Association, Sir Andrew Haines · Network Rail View ↗

Who gave evidence

28 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Alan Over · Director General, Major Rail Projects Group, Seni… Department for Transport 1
Alex Hynes · Director General for Rail Services Department for Transport 1
Christoph Pasternak · Chief Executive Eurofima 1
David Leeder · Director and Managing Partner Transport Investment Limited 1
Dawn Badminton-Capps · Head of Rail Partnerships North East Combined Authority 1
Elaine Clark OBE · Chief Executive Rail Forum 1
Huw Merriman, former Rail Minister — 1
Jeremy Westlake · Chief Executive Network Rail 1
Jim Steer · Director Greengauge 21 1
John Leach · Senior Assistant General Secretary RMT 1
John McGookin · National Officer for Rail Unite the Union 1
Jonathan Spruce · Fellow Institution for Civil Engineers 1
Jonathan Spruce · Fellow and Trustee Institution of Civil Engineers 1
Liz Goldsby · Head of NPR and High Speed Development Transport for Greater Manchester 1
Lord Hendy CBE · Minister for Rail Department for Transport 1
Mal Drury-Rose · Executive Director West Midlands Rail Executive 1
Malcolm Brown · Chief Executive Angel Trains Ltd 1
Michelle Craven-Faulkner · Vice Chair Rail Forum 1
Mick Whelan · General Secretary ASLEF 1
Miss Lydia Amarquaye · Education and Policy Skills Leader Institution of Mechanical Engineers 1
Neil Robertson · Chief Executive National Skills Academy for Rail 1
Noel Travers · Chair Railway Industry Association 1
Peter Broadley · Commercial Director Alstom UK & Ireland 1
Robert Cook · Policy Director Railway Industry Association 1
Robin Jenks · Policy Officer TSSA (Transport Salaried Staffs' Association) 1
Sambit Banerjee · Joint Chief Executive Officer Siemens Mobility Limited 1
Sir Andrew Haines · Chief Executive Network Rail 1
Stephen Barber · Chief Executive Permanent Way Institution 1