The Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline, a commitment by the UK government to put forward an annually updated programme of works for the railway, is two and a half years past its last due date. The update is still awaited, exactly three-and-a-half years since last published. The Railway Industry Association, which represents the supply chain in the UK industry, says that’s incredibly frustrating and doing no favours to the long-term stability of the sector.

It’s now just a few days past what has become a bi-annual milestone, observed by the Railway Industry Association. Friday, 21 April, marked another milestone for the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP). The date is exactly three-and-a-half years since the RNEP was last published by the UK government on 21 October 2019. The RIA says annual updates were promised.

Network desperately needs enhancements

The Railway Industry Association (RIA) has been campaigning for the RNEP to be updated and published. They say it’s more urgent than ever, particularly with freight traffic growing and with passenger numbers returning to close to pre-pandemic levels and in some analyses exceeding those levels. The association argues that the UK rail network desperately needs enhancements to increase rail capacity, improve journey times, and generate further economic growth. “It is incredibly frustrating that another milestone has been reached for non-publishing of the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline”, said Darren Caplan, the RIA’s chief executive. He says the UK government promised to update the RNEP annually.

However when the RIA has asked for a date, they have only ever been told to expect publication soon. “Exactly three-and-a-half years since the last update we still await the pipeline list of enhancements schemes to be circulated. This failure to publish, or make a related announcement of any sort, means real uncertainty for rail businesses, impacting investment, jobs, and skills development, and threatening the ability of SMEs (small and medium sized businesses) to survive.”

Making planning impossible

The UK Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline is designed to improve the country’s rail network by investing in various infrastructure projects. The government-led and funded program was launched in 2016 and is managed by the industry representative organisation, the Rail Delivery Group (RDG). They carry out a prioritisation process, in consultation with the government’s Department for Transport, and other stakeholders. Projects funded through the program include the electrification of the Great Western Main Line, the upgrade of Birmingham New Street station, and the purchase of new passenger rolling stock for the East Coast Main Line. Infrastructure upgrades in particular benefit the freight sector, and lack of clarity there goes against government ambitions to grow the level of sustainable logistics.

The RIA says the failure to publish is stalling the flow of work and making planning impossible for businesses in the supply chain. They say it also increases the cost of future work. “So RIA and our members once again call on the Government to publish the RNEP as a matter of urgency”, says Caplan. “Doing so would not only provide the clarity rail suppliers need on important rail projects and the long-term funding to pay for it, it would also mean the supply sector can get on with helping to unleash economic growth, and give a much-needed boost to UK rail’s future connectivity and capacity.”