Transport Focus to sit on Network Rail supervisory boards

The Western route out of London Paddington, the East Coast main line out of London King’s Cross and Wales are parts of the railway where Network Rail and train operators have now formed joint supervisory boards, which Transport Focus will sit on.

Additionally, an independently chaired supervisory board has been introduced, with passenger representation holding the rail industry to account and ensuring the different elements work together to drive improvements.

“The transformation of Network Rail into a responsive, customer focussed group of companies is gathering pace,” said Mark Carne, chief executive of Network Rail. “Working as one railway, we and the train operators are working ever closer together to deliver real tangible improvements and benefits for passengers across the country. There is still much to do and change to implement, but change is happening and the railway improving as a result.

“But it’s not just our company that’s transforming. Over the next 18 months passengers will see a transformation as thousands of improvement projects across the country are finished and thousands of new services and new fleets of trains are introduced increasing rail capacity into many of our major cities by 20-30%.”

Network Rail aims to have nine devolved routes operating the railway in their regions with supervisory boards by spring 2018.