The leadership body of Britain’s rail industry, the Rail Delivery Group, has given its full support to the Government’s High Level Output Specification (HLOS) and the recently published Scottish Ministers’ HLOS. The Rail Delivery Group includes the Chief Executives of the passenger rail owning groups, freight operators and Network Rail,

The High Level Output Specification is built around four priorities:

  Creating an electrified high-capacity freight and passenger corridor;
  Providing more capacity and faster journeys between key cities;
  Supporting commuter travel into major urban area; and
  Improved rail links to major ports and airports.

The Chairman of the Rail Delivery Group, Tim O’Toole, said: “The Rail Delivery Group has been established to provide leadership to Britain’s rail industry. Producing the strategies and policies that will enable the rail industry to respond to the Governments’ High Level Output Specifications is a core part of that leadership role. Ensuring that the industry collaborates to produce the plans for delivery is a priority for the Rail Delivery Group”

Tim O’Toole continued “The extensive investment programme is a massive boost for rail but with it comes an expectation that the rail industry will improve its efficiency and value for money. The Rail Delivery Group is focused on driving that improvement, particularly where those efficiencies can only be realised by the industry working together.”

In addition to providing leadership to the industry the Rail Delivery Group is focusing its efforts on identifying and delivering efficiency opportunities through:

  Collaboration in asset, programme and supply chain management;
  Reform of contractual and regulatory arrangements;Co-ordinated Industry planning
  Production of a rail technical strategy;
  Updating working practices by embracing advances in technology and innovation; and
  Improvements in train procurement and utilisation

Tim O’Toole concluded “Achieving fundamental improvements in efficiency whilst delivering the major investment programme outlined in the High Level Output Specification is a significant task for the industry. The Rail Delivery Group and its agenda will be structured to ensure that the industry can meet the investment and efficiency challenge laid down by the Governments”.