Skip to main content
  • The CBI chevron_right
  • A Whole Industry Strategic Plan for the railways

A Whole Industry Strategic Plan for the railways

The CBI is calling for a Whole Industry Strategic Plan (WISP) that focuses on the investment, entrepreneurship, and innovative spirit of the private sector.

10 Feb 2022, 2 min read

In our response to the call for evidence launched by the Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT), the CBI sets out how the private sector must continue to have a prominent role in the railways

Great British Railways must recognise the successes as well as the drawbacks of privatisation. Franchising was not a perfect system, but it did successfully deliver a significant increase in passenger numbers, while bringing investment, ingenuity, and innovation from the private sector. The WISP must ensure that these benefits continue to be delivered.

As the country starts to emerge from the pandemic, there is a fantastic opportunity to build a new flexible and future-proofed service, capable of responding to the change in travel patterns which have been driven by the pandemic.

At the heart of this must be an effective commercial partnership, which incentivises innovation and harnesses the best of the private sector’s expertise and experience.

Our response also argues that an effective and robust WISP can drive forward the growth of rail freight, support the decarbonisation of the transport network, and help meet the government’s objectives for levelling up.

Our response particularly highlights:

  • The need for a strong partnership between the public and private sector
  • The centrality of the private sector in meeting the needs of customers, both now and in the future
  • The importance of the private sector’s skills and experience in driving a more financially sustainable railway
  • The vast opportunities for the sector to contribute to economic growth, Levelling Up, connectivity and decarbonisation, that are all best realised through this strong partnership
  • The need for fundamental fares reform, alongside a targeted campaign to get people back onto the railways

To read our response in full, please click here.

The CBI will continue to engage closely with GBRTT as the transition continues. For more information about our work in rail, please contact Nick Jessup (Senior Policy Adviser, Transport).