The rail industry has moved a step closer together as the Rail Delivery Group absorbed ATOC taking on responsibility for policy and communications on behalf of rail industry leadership.
ATOC Ltd will continue to run National Rail Enquiries, the Rail Settlement Plan and Staff Travel – priv tickets and passes. Michael Roberts, chief executive of ATOC, takes over as director general of the RDG, succeeding Graham Smith who has stepped down from the role. The idea is to get the rail industry speaking with one voice. Rail chiefs have become alarmed at the strident opposition to high speed rail projects in the country as well as expensive and lengthy hold ups to routine railway planning applications.
Says RDG chair Tim O’Toole, ‘Britain’s railways have been transformed over the past 20 years, delivering record levels of growth and performance. Greater coordination among the train operators, freight companies and Network Rail is the next logical step for the industry to evolve to the next stage of capability.
‘The combination of ATOC resources with Network Rail will provide clear, unified leadership for the industry and ensure it is best placed to build on its unmatched record of success.’ The RDG brings together the owners of Britain’s train companies, rail freight companies and Network Rail.
