£25bn rail investment plans under threat
Plans to invest over £25 billion in more than 200 major rail projects during the next seven years are at risk because the rail industry will face growing difficulty recruiting suitably qualified and experienced staff.
Projects most at risk include electrification schemes and the introduction of large fleets of new trains, including those for Thameslink, Crossrail, the Intercity Express Programme and London Overground.
A particular concern is the age profile of people working in traction and rolling stock, which shows this sector of railway engineering now has 'a particularly ageing workforce' .
These are among the conclusions of a report by the National Skills Academy for Railway Engineering for the Office of Rail Regulation.
The report says over 100 companies were asked to provide individual data about rail engineering staff. A total of 51 companies responded 'providing a rich data sample in excess of 44,000 people'.
Please register to comment on this article
Latest news....
09/03/2020 - 11:50
More than 3.6 million additional cars were licensed between 2009 and 2019, enough to cover the entire British coastline.
06/03/2020 - 10:00
A cross-party group of MPs have launched a new parliamentary inquiry into bus services in shire counties and rural areas.
11/02/2020 - 10:00
Boris Johnson confirms HS2 will go ahead, alongside radical improvements to local transport networks across the country.
14/08/2019 - 09:50
The Department for Transport (DfT) has issued new guidance to help prevent terrorists getting access to commercial vehicles to be used in attacks.
13/08/2019 - 09:48
The Transport Committee recommends that government extends the ban on hand-held devices to hands-free phones
