Arriva Group has published a set of recommendations aimed at accelerating improvements in Britain’s rail network.
The proposals, outlined in a report entitled ‘Accelerating the Government’s Ambition to Fix Britain’s Railways,’ are designed to deliver rapid, practical changes while supporting the government’s long-term structural reform agenda.
Arriva’s five-step plan aims to stabilise the railway system and unlock its growth potential, with a focus on benefiting passengers, the economy, and public finances.
Key Proposals:
- Timetable Flexibility and Efficiency: One of Arriva’s main recommendations is to overhaul the timetabling process, enabling train operating companies to respond more quickly to passenger demand. This would allow for faster decision-making and could ignite railway usage across the country.
- Better Use of Assets: Arriva advocates for making more effective use of the existing network, train fleets, and other resources. This approach would reduce overcrowded journeys, optimise train capacity, and encourage investment in rail infrastructure.
- Workforce Development: The plan calls for expanding internal upskilling programmes to boost the number of skilled workers in the rail industry. This would address the skills gap and open new opportunities for workforce development in Britain’s rail sector.
In addition to these stabilising measures, Arriva proposes further steps to help the railway sector grow:
- New Services: Arriva supports greenlighting new open access routes, such as the Oxford-to-Cambridge connection. This could drive passenger growth and expand access to key economic hubs in the UK.
- Fare Innovations: Arriva also recommends accelerating the rollout of Pay-As-You-Go travel and introducing a “Friday peak saver” ticket to incentivise travel and make the rail network more accessible.
“The last few years have been a challenging time for the British railway - but now is the time for optimistic, forward-looking change under a new Government. There is a real opportunity to marry long-term structural reform, which Labour has set out, with further short-term improvements for passengers and the taxpayer. Our proposals set out a series of crucial steps for the Government to help deliver on that promise, accelerate their ambition to fix Britain’s railways, deliver tangible change for passengers, and realise the railway’s potential as an engine of economic growth.”
Arriva’s proposals aim to offer practical solutions that could be implemented alongside the government’s longer-term reform agenda.
These initiatives are designed to deliver immediate improvements for passengers and taxpayers while supporting the wider structural transformation of the UK rail network.
