Morning, Friday, 24th October 2025
Online
This conference will consider next steps for Britain’s rail network as the sector enters a period of transition against the backdrop of significant policy developments.
It will bring together key stakeholders and policymakers to discuss the Railways Bill following the first transfer of franchises into public ownership, including South Western Railway, and the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act receiving royal assent, and looking ahead to the formal creation of Great British Railways.
We expect discussion to reflect issues being focussed on in the Government’s recent consultation on the Railways Bill, including the legislative framework for GBR, passenger watchdog reforms, fare simplification, devolved governance, and the balance of public and private sector roles. Areas for discussion include practical implications for delivering a simpler, more accountable system as well as transition challenges, including governance design, integration of existing bodies, watchdog powers, impacts on ticketing and affordability, statutory roles for devolved leaders, and future arrangements for freight and open-access.
Delegates will also examine proposals in the Government’s 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy and recent Spending Review, which set out long-term investment into rail maintenance, including a £10.2bn commitment to strategic rail improvements and Network Rail’s £45bn CP7 enhancement plan and passenger performance reset. Sessions will consider practical implications of recently announced projects, including the Portishead to Bristol line reinstatement, the Midlands Rail Hub, new stations in South West England and Yorkshire, and East Coast Main Line digital signalling upgrades.
There will also be discussion on the role and remit of the proposed new independent passenger body which is proposed to replace or absorb current structures like Transport Focus.
Rail regulation, governance, and private sector access
Further discussion will address concerns around access to the rail network for private sector operators and priorities for balancing open-access - including freight - with GBR-contracted passenger services.
Delegates will consider the future of rail regulation, including potential changes to the remit of the Office of Rail and Road, and options for oversight to support fair access for private operators and freight, whilst ensuring alignment with GBR’s strategic priorities. Delegates will examine regulatory tools needed to maintain market integrity, support competition, and sustain public and industry confidence.
Infrastructure investment, delivery, and regional funding
There will also be a focus on long-term delivery and investment, including coordination, planning and prioritisation with wider infrastructure policy, following publication of the Government’s 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy, and Network Rail’s CP7 Reset.
Sessions will assess the impact of recent changes to environmental and planning requirements, and how national and regional authorities can be supported to deliver upgrades in the context of funding constraints and local ambitions.
Those attending will also look at delivery of national projects, addressing delays and rising costs, particularly following the Government’s announcement that HS2 will be further delayed beyond its target date of 2033. With the recent announcement that the CMA will conduct a study into rail and road infrastructure, delegates will consider how to enable more effective public-private collaboration to address long standing issues such as cost overruns, project delays, and delivery inefficiencies.
Further sessions consider funding and planning arrangements for regional partnerships and transport authorities, including implications of gaps in support for Combined Authorities and cancellation of Pan-Regional Partnership funding. Discussion will also consider delivery challenges and opportunities presented by new regional rail investments, including station developments and enhanced connectivity projects. Delegates will examine concerns over variation in levels of rail service in smaller towns and other parts of England, including the North and the Midlands, and look at how responsibilities for funding and infrastructure delivery will be shared between GBR, devolved authorities, and private sector partners.
Sustainability, regional impact, and workforce capacity
The agenda will also bring out latest thinking on how rail can contribute to wider goals around decarbonisation, local growth, and regional opportunity.
Discussion will consider how infrastructure planning, such as NISTA’s national infrastructure spatial tool, can deliver rail infrastructure which is joined-up and delivers social value.
Delegates will examine progress on decarbonisation of the rail network, including Network Rail’s investment into decarbonisation, biodiversity, and climate resilience through its Greener Railways Strategy, and the role of GBR in sustainability planning and coordination. Sessions will also consider what is needed to ensure the sector has a workforce equipped to meet future needs, including approaches to recruitment, retention and training, addressing diversity gaps, and supporting long-term capacity in line with emerging technologies and sustainability priorities.
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those due to attend include officials from DfT; DESNZ; DSIT; ORR; Transport Scotland; and the Welsh Government.
