The Railway Industry Association (RIA) has submitted a series of recommendations to the International Trade Select Committee Inquiry, setting out how the UK Government can grow rail exports and boost UK trade.

Following the release of Department for Transport figures showing passenger numbers hitting 100% of pre Covid levels, Chief Executive of the Railway Industry Association, Darren Caplan, sets out why we need to expand the capacity of the UK rail network.

Responding to today’s Spring Budget, RIA Chief Executive, Darren Caplan, said:

The DfT has today published figures showing that national rail passenger numbers have reached over 100% of pre-Covid levels for the first time since March 2020. From Friday 10 February, passenger numbers on the national network hit or exceeded 100% five days in a row, and on Wednesday 22 February 103% was recorded. This means that passenger numbers have doubled in just over a year, with the DfT data showing that since the start of 2023 rail customers have been returning not just on weekends and the middle days of the working week, but also on Mondays and Fridays.

Following the announcement today that the Birmingham to Crewe leg of HS2 will be delayed by two years to cut costs, Darren Caplan Chief Executive of the Railway Industry Association, said:

The Railway Industry Association (RIA), the voice of the UK rail supply community, has today launched RailDecarb23, a campaign urging the Government to accelerate plans to decarbonise rail. The campaign is being launched during Decarbonising Transport Week, which highlights the solutions that will be used to deliver the biggest gains in the UK’s transition to a low carbon transport network.

As part of the inaugural Decarbonising Transport Week, Hitachi Rail's Jim Brewin explains how battery trains can help achieve the UK's net zero and levelling up objectives.

With rail passenger numbers approaching pre-Covid levels, the Railway Industry Association sets out six ‘asks’ of the UK
Government, ahead of the Spring Budget on 15 March.

SYSTRA Regional Programme Director, Sekoura Benissad, has today been announced as the first Chair of RIA Midlands & Eastern.

The Railway Industry Association (RIA) Consultants Group, representing the rail consultancy and design community, has announced the election of a new Chair, Jessica Ellery of Jacobs, and Vice Chair, Chris Pike of Arcadis, to help set the strategic direction of the Group. This follows a competitive process with several strong applications.

The Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, today set out the next steps for rail reform at the George Bradshaw Address.

On the first day of The National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) 2023, the Railway Industry Association (RIA) is celebrating the contribution of apprentices to the rail industry.

RIA Scotland has today welcomed the publication of the the High-Level Output Specification (HLOS) and Statement of Funds Available (SoFA) for Scotland's Railway infrastructure for Control Period 7 (CP7, April 2024 to March 2029). This comes after RIA Scotland last week expressed disappointment in the delay to publication.

The Railway Industry Association (RIA), the voice of the rail industry, has today submitted a number of recommendations on behalf of the rail supply industry to HM Treasury, on the day its consultation on the Spring Budget closes. The Spring Budget is due to be announced by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt on Wednesday 15 March.

Today, former Energy Minister Chris Skidmore has published his Net Zero Review, outlining the opportunities offered by Net Zero.

Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden has insisted the government's door is "always open" for union talks, but refused to budge over pay rises for nurses.

Everyone knows about Northern Powerhouse Rail. Even if you aren’t a train planner you know it’s a line across the north, it’s become slightly totemic, like a litmus test for levelling up in the minds of some of my colleagues.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has today published the High-Level Output Specification (HLOS) and Statement of Funds Available (SoFA) for the railway in England and Wales for April 2024 to March 2029, Control Period 7 (CP7).

Shadow Transport Secretary Louise Haigh told the RIA North Conference in Manchester today that rail can drive the green industrial revolution and boost decarbonised economic growth. Setting out Labour’s vision in remarks targeting political influencers, rail suppliers, clients and key stakeholders, she said:

Keir Starmer has accused the government of "crashing" the economy after new OECD figures showed the UK was headed for a significant period in recession.

Today, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, delivered his Autumn Statement, which included a number of measures related to transport infrastructure, the railway industry and rail supply businesses.

Today, the Rail Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Charter, led jointly by the Railway Industry Association (RIA) and Women in Rail, celebrated its 200th signatory, with the Great British Railways Transition Team signing up to the Charter.

On the eve of the Railway Industry Association’s Annual Conference, a survey of RIA members found that three quarters of businesses think a hiatus in rail work over the next year is likely, and that as a result, 57 percent could either prioritise work outside the UK and/or slow plans to expand in the UK.