"The Department for Transport used a
broadly sound framework to develop plans for adding capacity to the
rail network. These plans were developed in a stronger economic
climate. However, we believe that it needs to implement these plans
flexibly in light of current conditions, in order to protect value
for money, and to be continually looking to drive down the costs of
rail improvement works."
Mr Amyas Morse, head of the National Audit
Office, 4 June 2010
The Department for Transport’s latest plans
for increasing rail capacity would not deliver as much extra
capacity as originally specified, although the taxpayer would have
provided nearly as much financial support (£1.2 billion over the
period 2009-14) to train companies as originally envisaged, a
report by the National Audit Office has revealed.
The report also points out that value for
money is at risk because costs, particularly of rail carriages,
have risen at the same time as the recession has reduced the
Department’s projections of demand. Against this background, the
Department has reviewed each individual scheme before entering into
contract to ensure that it still offers value for money.
Capacity is now expected for 99,000 extra
passengers into London in the morning peak (between 07:00 and
09:59), 15 per cent fewer than originally envisaged, and 25,500
extra passengers into other English cities, 33 per cent fewer.
Passenger Transport Executives in the North of England – local
government bodies responsible for the public transport in major
cities – feel that their expectations for increased capacity in
their area have not been met.
Demand for rail travel has increased
significantly in recent years. An estimated 1.27 billion passenger
journeys were made in 2008-09 compared to 0.74 billion in 1994-95.
While capacity has also risen, crowding is widespread at peak times
into major cities. For example, in 2008, nearly half of all
passengers arrived at London between 08:00 and 08:59 on services
that were either full or over-crowded. Other cities also experience
high levels of crowding at the height of the morning peak.
The DfT published a thirty-year strategy in
July 2007 when there was strong growth in rail travel and
widespread crowding on commuter services. In the first five years
(2009 to 2014) it aimed to handle 17 per cent more peak time
passengers travelling into London and 27 per cent more into other
major cities without increases in overall crowding.
The strategy set aside £9 billion for capacity
increases. Within this, £7 billion was allocated to Network Rail.
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) scrutinised Network Rail’s
plans to meet capacity requirements and challenged and reduced
costs. The level of cost detail available to ORR restricts its
ability to judge the potential for Network Rail to increase
efficiencies or to see whether efficiencies have been
delivered.
Planning by the DfT concentrated heavily on securing extra
carriages to meet forecast demand in the peak periods. By March
2010, the Department had secured use of 526 extra carriages, with a
further 106 ordered and due to be ready for operation by 2012.
Publication details:
HC: 33, 2010-2011
ISBN: 9780102965230