Network Rail has made some changes to the way it works and how it is organised, with the creation of five new regions:
- Eastern
- Southern
- Wales & Western
- North West & Central
- Scotland's Railway
The railway infrastructure group says this will create regional businesses that are large enough to absorb the devolution of capital delivery and other central functions, but covering 14 routes (up from the current 8) that are closely aligned with train operators, where more decision-making rests with those who know our railways best.
Anglia route - which manages the railway infrastructure in Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and parts of London, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire - will form part of the Eastern Region, along with new East Coast, East Midlands and North and East routes.
The changes have been driven by Network Rail's new Chief Executive, Andrew Haines, who says they are designed to help change the business to one that is unequivocally on the side of passengers and freight users.