Source · Select Committees · Transport Committee
7th Report - Rail investment pipelines: ending boom and bust
Transport Committee
HC 575
Published 10 February 2026
Recommendations
7
Acknowledged
Commission independent review of Control Period 7 and spend volatility to improve future funding.
Recommendation
We recommend that the Government commission an independent review of the beginning of Control Period 7 in comparison to the beginning of previous Control Periods. The review should also survey the volatility of spend within Control Periods, identify whether this …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees that any pipeline must distinguish between funded commitments and earlier-stage proposals, and states that funding is normally committed only to the next stage of development.
Department for Transport
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11
Acknowledged
Require the RNEP to clearly set out committed funding and provide 5-year rolling certainty.
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
The government recognises the importance of devolved and regional partners in shaping and delivering rail investment and states that the RNEP is designed to allow schemes to progress independently with potential to enter the national portfolio at any stage.
Department for Transport
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16
Acknowledged
Clarify relationship between UK Infrastructure Pipeline and RNEP for consistent industry information.
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees that transparency is important and the industry benefits from clear forward visibility and is moving towards more regular, structured and accessible publication of the enhancements portfolio, outlining multiple mechanisms to provide certainty and visibility.
Department for Transport
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25
Acknowledged
Commit successive governments to long-term consensus on rail investment priorities and consistent delivery.
Recommendation
The advent of Great British Railways provides a golden opportunity for decision-makers on the railway to approach investment planning differently. Successive governments must be prepared to commit to reaching a long-term consensus on which investments should be prioritised, and to …
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Government Response Summary
The government welcomes the provision for a Long Term Rail Strategy in the Railways Bill, stating it's long overdue and should provide a basis for consensus and certainty.
Department for Transport
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26
Acknowledged
Require Secretary of State to lay the Long Term Rail Strategy before Parliament, including changes.
Recommendation
The Long Term Rail Strategy guiding Great British Railways needs to have a timescale of at least 30 years to provide the necessary vision for underpinning shorter-term decisions on specific projects and funding. It also needs to be protected from …
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Government Response Summary
The government welcomes the provision for a Long Term Rail Strategy in the Railways Bill, stating it's long overdue and should provide a basis for consensus and certainty.
Department for Transport
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Conclusions (8)
1
Conclusion
Acknowledged
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 …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the importance of investment stability and reducing volatility in the rail industry, and states that it will strengthen how it communicates and manages the rail investment portfolio by improving the cadence, clarity and consistency of public information.
2
Conclusion
Acknowledged
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 …
Government Response Summary
The government recognises the concern that instability in rail investment can increase costs but does not accept rail investment has been characterised by systemic "boom and bust" cycles.
3
Conclusion
Acknowledged
There is a widespread consensus that establishing a smooth and stable pipeline of investment would bring manifold benefits to both the railway and the rail supply industry. With more certainty and visibility of upcoming work, and fewer peaks and troughs, resources could be allocated more effectively, capabilities could be maintained …
Government Response Summary
The Government agrees that electrification remains a key tool in the decarbonisation of rail and that long-term clarity is important for industry confidence. However, the Government does not consider that a fixed route- kilometre target would represent the most effective mechanism.
4
Conclusion
Acknowledged
A steady pipeline would support jobs at all levels of the supply chain, facilitate workforce planning, help industry address skills shortages and foster innovation. Success stories from Scotland, where there has been greater certainty of future workload, show the relationship between steady investment and industry’s ability to invest in its …
Government Response Summary
The Government agrees with the Committee’s emphasis on integration and is already working with operators and delivery partners on upcoming fleet replacement programmes to ensure that infrastructure requirements are considered from the outset. They also agree that the national train fleet needs to be simplified.
5
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Injection of private sector investment into rail assets, including track and other infrastructure, has been hindered by the lack of a clear, credible pipeline of projects and a failure by Government to identify where such investment would be welcomed and could best contribute. There is also a need for a …
Government Response Summary
The Government agrees that transparency is important and that industry benefits from clear forward visibility. Rather than relying on infrequent static documents, the Government is moving towards more regular, structured and accessible publication of the enhancements portfolio.
6
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The five-year funding settlement provided through the Control Period process, which is set to be continued through Funding Period Reviews, gives a reasonable degree of certainty and visibility of spend on operations, maintenance and renewals. Nonetheless, the mechanism could be improved. Spending profiles for particular categories of work can be …
Government Response Summary
The Government is clear that Spending Review settlements do not constitute project-by-project approvals. Enhancements funding is deliberately provided at portfolio level through Spending Reviews, following detailed bids informed by strategic priorities and robust scheme forecasts.
10
Conclusion
Acknowledged
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, …
Government Response Summary
The Government agrees that credible visibility is essential for both the supply chain and private investors, and recognises the increasing role of Devolved Administrations and local partners.
24
Conclusion
Acknowledged
We welcome the Government’s recognition that industry fragmentation has contributed to siloed decision-making and misaligned incentives between stakeholders, and its commitment to establishing a whole- system organisation, Great British Railways, to tackle this. We look forward to holding GBR and Ministers accountable for delivering on the promise of better and …
Government Response Summary
The government welcomes the provision for a Long Term Rail Strategy in the Railways Bill, stating it's long overdue and should provide a basis for consensus and certainty.