NAO highlights infrastructure risk

摘要

In its report on DfT's reform of the franchising programme (above), the National Audit Office emphasises the risk to value for money from 'uncertainty, delays and cost increases on major infrastructure works'. The scale and complexity of planned work has already presented challenges for the franchising programme, and Network Rail's enhancement programme is costing more and taking longer than planned. With major decisions on the construction schedule for High Speed 2 (p3) also approaching, NAO says that DfT must decide between a range of responses and judge how to protect value for money while keeping train services running. The report suggests a number of options.