The Railways Act 2005 - The New Structure

The Railways Act 2005 received royal assent following a very quick passage through Parliament after the calling of the 2005 general election. The Act puts the finishing touches to the substantial changes to the organization of the privatized railway that have been taking place since the Labour Government was elected in 1997 and highlights the reassertion of central government control over an industry that has received increasing public sector funding since it was privatized. The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport's Strategic Rail Forum, which is made up of Institute members active in the operating, supplying, regulatory, safety and consultancy sides of the rail industry, has actively contributed to the various consultation stages that led to the publication of the Railways Bill. As a result of the Forum's analysis of the Railways Bill, a letter was sent by Institute Chief Executive Geoff Newton CMILT to all MPs, some members of the House of Lords and professional institutes, which was published in March. In this article, a response from the Minister, Tony McNulty, is reproduced, along with a further response from the Institute.