New regulator turns up heat on Railtrack
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• The process of forcing Railtrack to improve its commitment to rail freight began in earnest this week as the new Rail Regulator started his detailed study of the track provider's plans for developing goods on rail.
After a request from the regulator, Railtrack has delivered a 40-page document explaining its recently published policy for developing rail freight—a policy which regulator Tom Winsor has already said does not convince him that the company has a 'coherent and deliverable strategy to meet the reasonable requirements of freight operators".
In its latest document, Railtrack is not believed to have revealed large volumes of new information—arguing cortfidentiality—nor extended its commitment of investing only £32m of the £353m it says is needed for freight improvements. But Winsor, who took up his post last month, has made freight a priority and will evaluate Railtrack's latest response by the end of the year. If he decides Railtrack is investing too little, he can issue an enforcement order to make it provide more track and enlarge tunnels. He could also levy fines on the privatised company.
Railtrack says it earns little profit from freight access charges compared to the passenger train market. Some freight traffic will be turned away by 2003 because of capacity constraints, and rail freight volumes are expected to rise by 15% a year until then.
The Rail Freight Group, a users' lobby group, wants Railtrack to embrace its plans for gauge enhancement which would allow piggyback services—the passage of Eurosized rail wagons loaded with 4m-high road/rail trailers.