The government yesterday announced their plans to invest £8 billion into the UK’s rail network, as a means to meeting the increasing demand from rail passengers. But with questions still unanswered over many improvement projects, the number of new jobs this investment will create is uncertain.

Transport Secretary, Phillip Hammond announced yesterday that 2000 new carriages will be bought in order to deal with overcrowding across the UK network, creating space for an extra 185,000 passengers. Electrification of some lines will go ahead, as will the Thameslink programme.

Labour, however, have heralded the plans as “nothing more than one long series of delays” since only 650 of the new carriages will be available by 2014. Thameslink too has been delayed by two years, as has a decision on the Intercity Express Programme (IEP).

Scott Bulloch, Head of Operations at Ganymede's sister firm, ATA Rail said “We very much welcome the investments with which the government has decided to proceed, demonstrating that they recognise the part the UK’s rail infrastructure has to play in the country’s economy as a whole. However, delays on both government decisions and the commencements of projects, bring about uncertainty for those working within the rail sector.”

The government has stalled their decision on the IEP in order to explore alternative options of which trains should be used on the route. A bid from Hitachi to provide “hybrid” electric/diesel trains would create 800 jobs at a new factory in the North East, as well as more than 8000 jobs throughout the supply chain. However, an alternative option of electric trains, pulled by diesel locomotives on sections without overhead power lines would instead involve sourcing from abroad.

Bulloch continued, “The government will not make its decision on IEP until January but they must take great consideration over, not just the short term costs, but the greater implications to the UK’s rail sector, particularly the opportunities for employment.”

The delay to Thameslink and the electrification of the London- Swansea line have also brought about concerns over employment prospects.

“Many rail industry employees who were expecting to be one of the 950 staff involved in Thameslink have been left in limbo after delays to this projects. But the hold up on the London – Swansea electrification could also impact upon job prospects more broadly, particularly to those living within South Wales. It was expected that this link between London and Wales would play a significant part in the economic development of the region, which currently has one of the highest unemployment rates in the UK”

“It is a certainty that these investments will create new job opportunities for people within and outside of the rail sector, but delays mean it is unclear when these opportunities will arise”