Network Rail’s top executive has called for a range of groups including councils, local businesses and train operators to be made to directly invest in rail upgrades.
Mark Carne said those who benefit economically from the work should have to co-invest, the Times reports, stating it was ‘completely wrong’ for the nation to fund individual local projects.
The chief executive suggested the funding reform should happen in time to be part of the financing package for the 2017-2022 transformation of the Leeds-Manchester TransPennine line.
Mr Carne said: ‘When train operators or others benefit from the delivery of increased passenger numbers, then they should be prepared to put their hand in their pocket and help with the investment.
‘It is completely wrong for the entire country to fund individual railway investment when that is creating specific local opportunity.’
Speaking at the launch of the Oxford to London Marylebone via Bicester line, a service that required 12 miles of new track and three new stations to be built, he suggested the project was a model for the future.
Local councils along the route put in tens of millions of pounds for early work, with another £130m put up by Chiltern Railways, which will operate the service.
