RIA welcomes Sir John Armitt as Chair of the National Infrastructure
Commission
Darren Caplan, Chief Executive of the Railway Industry Association (RIA) said:
“The Railway Industry Association welcomes the news that Sir John Armitt will be taking up
the role of Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC), and congratulates him as
he takes up his new position.
“Now is a particularly important time for infrastructure, as the country develops its industrial
strategy in the run up to Brexit. And the role of the NIC in identifying and co-ordinating the
UK’s transport needs over long-term periods beyond the electoral cycles of politics is more
crucial than ever.
“For rail, as well as continued support for major projects like HS2, Northern Powerhouse Rail,
Crossrail 2 and East-West Rail, we also need to see more long-term consistency in funding for
the rail network, to avoid the boom and bust of Control Period cycles in recent years. We
hope that under Sir John’s leadership the NIC will provide support on these issues, so the rail
industry can carry on delivering for passengers, freight and the economy in the years ahead.
“We would also like to thank his predecessor Lord Adonis for his important work on the
Commission and wish him well for the future.”
Notes to Editors
- About the Railway Industry Association: The Railway Industry Association (RIA) is the
representative body for UK-based suppliers to the UK and world-wide railways. It has
some 200 companies in membership and the sector employs 240,000 people and
contributes annually £11 billion Gross Value Added (GVA). It is also a growing industry
with the number of rail journeys expected to double over the next 25 years and freight
set to grow significantly too. RIA’s membership is active across the whole of railway
supply, covering a diverse range of products and services and including both multinational
companies and SMEs (60% by number). RIA works to promote the importance
of the rail system to UK plc, to help export UK expertise around the globe and to share
best practice and innovation across the industry.