Industry Insider: What the passengers want

Unlike other transport modes, rail has control of its means of way and access to the system. It is therefore in a position to optimise its output, essentially the timetable for passenger and freight trains, with the expectation of high service delivery standards.

For Britain’s rail network, there has always been a need for significant investment, either from the private sector or the state. In the early years, where lines were promoted, funding for construction came from shareholders who often backed local routes, to allow improved access to freight markets for local producers.