Network Rail published its £44bn, five-year plan (2024-29, Control Period 7 – CP7) for the railway in England and Wales that sees increased investment in tackling climate change, improving train performance from current levels for passengers and freight users. 
Over the last two years, and more intensively over the past three months, Network Rail has been working on plans to deliver the best railway it can for the amount of money available - £44.1bn, which, after adjusting for changes in electricity costs, is £1.8bn more than CP6 (2019-2024).
Plan for England and Wales includes the following:
- Recognising the need to improve performance over the remainder of CP6 and giving passengers and freight users the highest level of train performance possible in CP7
- renewing lifts and escalators, improving lighting and passenger information systems to improve personal security and safety
- more than doubling investment – to £1.6bn – in tackling climate change, and making our railway more resilient and sustainable. This includes investment in earthworks and drainage renewals, and improvements to our capability such as the creation of dedicated earthworks and drainage teams, operational weather expertise, climate change adaptation strategy investment and continued investment in the Weather Risk Taskforce
- Our plans also include investment in the reduction of emissions and targeted net-zero initiatives, focussing on meeting Government objectives for biodiversity, air quality and waste.
- focused on value for money by making every penny count and targeting efficiencies of £3.4bn over the period
- investing in technology and innovation such as installing equipment on trains which monitors infrastructure condition remotely without needlessly sending employees onto the trac
- investing £1.85bn in next-generation signalling that has the ability to improve reliability and train performance
- supporting the continued growth of rail freight through an ambitious but realistic target of 7.5% growth across the network
- laying the foundations for GBR that will be key to the railway becoming more efficient through reuniting track and train. A reformed railway will see this settlement go further by enabling a simpler, better railway for everyone.
Andrew Haines, Chief Executive, Network Rail, said:
“As we look to the next five years, the Government’s commitment to invest £44 billion in the operations, maintenance and renewal of England and Wales’s railway is a clear indication of the strong economic value rail brings to Britain.
“Our plan for CP7 is ambitious, focussed on our passengers and customers and reflects the current complexities and challenges facing the industry. There will no doubt be obstacles ahead and I look forward to working collaboratively with the sector to deliver this plan, reshape the industry and build a railway that is fit for the future.”