NETWORK RAIL: FINANCE

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what changes he intends to make to the funding arrangements for Network Rail; and if he will make a statement.

Claire Perry, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport: We intend to either remove or significantly reduce the Network Grant by re-routing Government support via franchised train operating companies, which will pay correspondingly higher track access charges to Network Rail for using the network. This change will not affect the overall level of support Government will be providing to rail.

This new approach will ensure that Network Rail focuses firmly on the needs of train operators, and through them, customers.
Working with the Office of Rail and Road, we intend this change to take effect from the start of Control Period 6 (April 2019). We will be consulting with industry on the details.
 
 
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DISSOLUTION OF PARLIAMENT

Parliament has been dissolved until after the General Election on 12th December and there are now no MPs. This website is for reference of my work when I was a Member of Parliament.

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