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RIA comments on UK Trade Strategy 

26 June 2025 

 

Commenting on the Government’s Strategy, which has just been published, Railway Industry Association (RIA) Chief Executive Darren Caplan said: “The Railway Industry Association has supported rail suppliers expand into overseas markets throughout its existence, for 150 years, and last year we carried out extensive exports promotion activity in some 20 countries.

“So we welcome the Trade Strategy just announced by the Government and its implicit commitment to export-led growth. Steps to reduce regulatory complexity and to ensure more joined-up thinking between Government departments are of course welcome. And increased capacity for UK Export Finance should benefit both UK-based global rail businesses and SME suppliers too. RIA and rail suppliers look forward to seeing more of, and supporting the implementation of, the Strategy as it is rolled out in the coming months.”


Notes to Editors
  • About RIA: The Railway Industry Association (RIA) champions a dynamic UK rail supply sector. Rail contributes £41 billion in economic value and £14 billion in tax revenue each year, as well as supporting over 640,000 jobs throughout the UK. For every job in rail, a further four jobs are supported elsewhere in the UK economy, and every job in the rail supply chain is 29% more productive than the UK average. RIA's 400+ members, including 60% SMEs, provide a diverse range of rail products and services. RIA advocates for rail's critical role in economic development, sustainability, and high-performance transport. Learn more at www.riagb.org.uk.
  • The Strategy can be found here.
  • Image credit: GOV.UK

 

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