New approach needed to Rail Investment Pipeline after Conservative cuts   

TSSA has told the Transport Select Committee of MPs that the ‘rail network enhancements pipeline has had its day’ because it had been used by previous Conservative governments to conceal how they were actually cutting enhancement work.  

In an oral evidence session to the Committee (19th June) TSSA Policy Officer, Rob Jenks, told the cross-party group of MPs that a different approach was needed which addressed the green agenda and a Swiss transport model of timetabling bus and train services to run at constant intervals.    

The MPs are in the process of investigating how long-term, transparent and sequenced plans – or ‘pipelines’ – could bring certainty and security to companies involved in improving the UK’s railways.   

TSSA’s Policy Officer, Rob Jenks, told the Committee: “From my perspective the rail network enhancements pipeline has had its day - in the sense that it was used, frankly, and very cynically perhaps, to conceal that the last government were cutting funding for enhancement work.  

“If you look at some figures from ORR [Office of Rail and Road]....they cut it by a half....it was interesting to see all the projects in there, and the dates on them, and how many of them have ever been completed?   

“There are so many things which could be done in rail, which would benefit the country – not least from the green agenda and coordination of transport. We have suggested adopting the Swiss approach - a Taktfahrplan - and all the planning that goes into that.”  

Jenks then went on to add that any future enhancements pipeline had to have public scrutiny and “has to be trusted and importantly a lot of us come from the perspective of saying – and I don't just mean the trade unions – how trustworthy is it?"   

He also explained to MPs that there is a critical issue a long term joined up strategic plan of investment extending for 20 to 30 years. This would allow the railway, and its workers, including in the supply chain, to benefit at a time of a climate crisis.  

It would move away from the piecemeal ‘bucket list’ approach seemingly favoured by politicians whilst also seeing a gradual realisation of long-term projects like rail electrification. 

As highlighted to the Committee at the hearing TSSA anticipates that additional staff will leave because of job losses resulting from the creation of GBR. Older, experienced workers may take the chance to retire, perhaps with a redundancy payment); this following Transport Secretary comments about cutting duplication. 

Linked to this was the issue of skills and other training because of what the National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR) calls ‘a critical loss of experience and knowledge in the next seven years’. It’s estimated 90 thousand workers will leave the rail industry by 2030, including almost 47,000 who are retiring as they reach the industry's normal retirement age of 62. 

TSSA also made a call to end the current wasteful model governing rolling stock – trains and freight wagons – which are privately owned and leased by rolling stock companies (ROSCOS) to the train operators across the network.  

As Jenks put it “ROSCO profits have sky rocketed. Anyone else would have been sorted out a long time ago, if I can put it in plain language like that. It's such profiteering - thirty-seven per cent profits in 2022/23. The TOCs (Train Operating Companies) paid £3.1 billion in leasing costs.”   

Citing past work done by the union at Holyrood, in advocating for the nationalisation of ScotRail, Jenks outlined how it was possible for Ministers in London “to get a better rate of borrowing if they were to buy the trains directly themselves, and maybe that is something that the government should be looking at.”  

He also pointed out to Members that from TSSA’s point of view any decision making about the railways and future investment in rail had to take into account “the impact on people”, adding “it’s not just about money, it is about people.”