Background to the Report
1. The Welsh Affairs Committee has had a long-standing
interest in the provision of rail services in Wales. It has produced
a number of reports on the subject including, Public Transport
in Wales in 1985,[1]
Rail Services in Wales in 1991,[2]
and The Transport Bill and its impact on Wales in 2000.[3]
2. In 2002 we began a major inquiry into Transport
in Wales, and published our Report in January 2003.[4]
Rail services represented a significant section of that Report
and covered rail transport, station facilities, the powers of
the National Assembly, and the pending award of the Wales and
Borders Franchise. Our inquiry and the Government's response[5]
highlighted many areas that remained unresolved. Therefore, we
decided that we would revisit rail services as a separate inquiry.
3. The Report is split into three sections. First,
we consider rail links between London and Wales, in particular
the Intercity links on the South Wales Main Line and the North
Wales Main Line. We then consider the award of the Wales and Borders
Franchise and the services to be provided under that franchise,
In the final section we consider the division of powers between
the National Assembly and Westminster.
4. During this inquiry we took evidence on five occasions
between July and November 2003 from the Strategic Rail Authority,
First Great Western, Virgin Trains, Arriva Cymru, Network Rail,
Rail Passengers Committee Cymru and Dr Kim Howells MP, Minister
for Transport. In addition to the oral evidence we received written
evidence from a wide variety of interested parties. We thank all
who contributed to the inquiry. We also thank Professor Stuart
Cole of the Wales Transport Research Centre, University of Glamorgan,
who gave us his expert help on this report and has now advised
the Welsh Affairs Committee on transport matters for the past
twenty years.
The current position with regard
to railways
5. Since privatisation, responsibility for the railways
has been divided up between a number of organisations, the Strategic
Rail Authority, Network Rail, the Rail Regulator, and the train
operating companies.
6. Network Rail is responsible for investment and
renewals on the railways. It is funded through two sources of
income: the income from track access agreements with the train
operating and freight operating customers, and by grants from
the SRA. However, enhancements to the infrastructure are funded
directly by the SRA.[6]
This funding arrangement is supported by the Office of the Rail
Regulator.
7. The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) formally came
into being on 1 February 2001, following the passage of the Transport
Act 2000. Its responsibilities cover the three sectors of Passenger,
Freight and Infrastructure, with the aim throughout being the
creation of a `Bigger, Better, Safer' Railway.[7]
A key role for the SRA is to promote and develop the rail network
and encourage integration. As well as providing overall strategic
direction for Britain's railways, the SRA has responsibility for
consumer protection, administering freight grants and steering
forward investment projects aimed at opening up bottlenecks and
expanding network capacity. It is also responsible for letting
and managing passenger rail franchises.
8. The three main train operating companies in Wales
are First Great Western, who operate on the South Wales Main Line;[8]
Virgin Trains, who operate on the North Wales Main Line;[9]
and Arriva Trains Cymru,[10]
who won the competition for the new Wales and Borders rail franchise.
1 First Report from the Welsh Affairs Committee, Public
Transport in Wales, Session 1984-85, HC35. Back
2
Fourth Report from the Welsh Affairs Committee, Rail Services
in Wales, Session 1990-01, HC262. Back
3
Second Report from the Welsh Affairs Committee, The Transport
Committee and its impact on Wales, Session 1999-2000, HC 287.
Back
4
Second Report from the Welsh Affairs Committee, Transport in
Wales, Session 2002-03, HC205. Back
5
Second Special Report from the Welsh Affairs Committee, Transport
in Wales: Response of the Government, Session 2002-03, HC580. Back
6
Q306 Back
7
www.sra.gov.uk/news/2001/12/new_sra_chairman_lays_out_his_vision_for_. Back
8
QQ96-146 Back
9
QQ147-240 Back
10
QQ241-304 Back
