Network Rail opens up infrastructure projects to third party firms

Network Rail is to enable third parties to build and invest in its railway infrastructure projects as part of sweeping new procurement reforms.Network Rail invests almost £130 million in Britain’s railways every week, with over 15,000 live projects on its books.A pipeline of opportunities will be published by the end of the year.Chief executive Mark Carne said the new reforms represent a raft of opportunities for other companies to directly work on Britain’s railway projects and to compete for a slice of this huge market and to potentially deliver further improvements for passengers that otherwise might not happen.He added that the reforms will also unlock new sources of funding because potential investors will have choices over who delivers projects for them. This will reduce the burden on central government and taxpayers and create new opportunities for passengers and the communities that depend on the railway.