Wednesday 16 July,
09:15, Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Rail Minister and Department for Transport
officials will appear before MPs in the final evidence session of
the Transport Committee's rail investment pipelines
inquiry.
The Committee has been investigating how developing long-term,
transparent and sequenced plans – or pipelines – could bring
certainty and security to the ecosystem of companies that
commission and deliver improvements to the UK's railways - such
as track enhancements, station upgrades, and rolling stock
orders.
The session will be a chance for members to ask the Minister
about issues raised so far in the inquiry, which has previously
heard from Network Rail, industry groups, rolling stock
manufacturers, trade union representatives and others.
There are likely to be questions about the importance of
developing a long-term strategic plan for the railway and the
effect this could have on stable investment and ending the ‘boom
and bust' nature of the rail supply industry.
The Minister could also be asked about the ways in which Great
British Railways could oversee a more coherent approach to
investment and develop pipelines, and the balance between
ensuring certainty and retaining flexibility.
The session will also explore the relationship between a steady
investment pipeline and maintaining a skilled workforce and
whether the DfT is doing enough to address the skills shortage in
the industry.
Following last month's Spending Review, the Committee may ask
witnesses about new rail projects, updates to the Rail Network
Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP) and the role of private finance in
rail investment.
The inquiry was launched last year in light of repeated calls
from industry for government support, and following concerns for
the future of Alstom's rolling stock factory in Derby, which
shone a light on the insecure ‘boom and bust' nature of the rail
supply industry.
Witnesses from 09:15
-
of Richmond Hill,
Minister for Rail, DfT
-
Alex Hynes, Director General, Rail Services,
DfT
-
Alan Over, Director General, Major Rail
Projects Group, DfT
