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Research and Reports

A database of documents and reports released by industry bodies. You can download the document by clicking on its title, and can filter reports by author or subject. If you have a report you would like to submit to the Rail Hub, please email [email protected].

 

  • House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts: Reform of the rail franchising programme

    05/02/2016
    House of Lords SearchResearchItems

    The Department for Transport has “strengthened its capability to let franchises” - but there are still areas for improvement in its franchise management. So says the Public Accounts Committee in this follow up report to the one produced in 2012 following the collapse of the InterCity West Coast franchising process. Among the PAC’s conclusions are that there “is a real risk to value for money if market interest in operating rail franchises declines any further” and that the DfT’s “lack of a coherent strategic vision for the rail system presents a risk that it will make decisions now that prove costly in future.” The committee also concludes that it is unclear when promised service quality improvements for passengers will materialise; that the DfT’s ability to manage (as opposed to let) franchises “has not noticeably improved”; that it is “not doing enough to develop partnerships with operators that facilitate innovation and improve services for passengers”; and that costs will arise from delays in franchise competitions brought about by the “scale and uncertainty of planned infrastructure improvements”. Specific recommendations are made for improvements. Notably the PAC calls for the DfT to “develop alternatives to its current commercial approach so it is well placed to deliver value for money if market interest falls to a level where intense competition cannot be guaranteed”; and that it “needs to provide a coherent strategic vision and stronger leadership to ensure that the investment decisions it makes now do not result in increased costs in the long term.”

  • The Economics of High-Speed 2

    18/03/2015
    House of Lords SearchResearchItems

    Proposal by House of Lords for the financial benefits of HS2