In April 2019 Biggleswade station was awarded ‘Access for All’ funding to provide lifts at the station. Five years on the much delayed scheme has been delayed yet again, and ironically we were informed of this delay in the same week that Andrew Haines set out how Network Rail, the organisation he has been the Chief Executive Officer since 2018, is failing disabled people. Below is my open letter to him sent on 3rd May 2024. *Update: the reply from Andrew Haines (received on 20th May) is underneath.
Dear Mr Haines
I am writing to you regarding your appearance at the Public Accounts Committee on 29th April and the step-free access scheme at Biggleswade station.
During your evidence to the committee, you set out Network Rail’s failure to deliver for passengers who require assistance, and gave four main reasons for this:
Incorrect selection of the stations chosen for accessibility improvements.
A lack of understanding of the scope of the schemes selected.
Getting too involved with stakeholders, resulting in an increase in costs.
A lack of competence in managing ‘smaller schemes’ (referring to accessibility improvements).
In the same week you set out Network Rail’s profound failures, it was a bitter irony to hear that work on the much delayed step-free project at Biggleswade had been halted, with no current estimate of a resumption of the works. Further, this news was relayed to us by the lead of the sixth Network Rail team on the Biggleswade project. Constantly having to deal with different teams makes progress and cooperation far more difficult. Does Network Rail have a staff retention problem?
The constant chopping and changing of your project teams has resulted in poor communication between Network Rail and the various stakeholders involved. The latest example of poor communication is the belated announcement of the latest ‘delivery challenges’, which must have been known about for some time.
We understand that projects will frequently face delays for one reason or another. However, in the case of Biggleswade, there have been some inexplicable delays for which we have not been provided with credible answers. These include an 18-month delay, which Network Rail implied was the result of a four-month delay while we insisted on the original specification being included in the project. Perhaps this is an example of the ‘excessive stakeholder involvement’ you discussed at the committee?
Our bid for ‘Access for All’ funding for Biggleswade was submitted around the time you became CEO of Network Rail in 2018. Yet, almost six years on, the station remains inaccessible to many, with now no firm date for lifts at the station
While I respect your openness around these fundamental failures (set out in your four points above) to address the issues that have such a detrimental impact on people disabled by the railway, after six years of failure in this area under your tenure, some may have considered their position. Do you believe you have the qualities to turn this around? If you do believe you have the necessary skills, knowledge and experience, why have these not been brought to bear to deal effectively with the profound failures you set out in your evidence to the committee?
I look forward to your reply on the issues raised in this email and would be grateful if you would keep a close eye on the Biggleswade project, and impress upon your team the importance of open and timely communication.
Due to the high level of public interest in this issue, please regard this email and any reply as an open letter.
Yours sincerely
Julian Vaughan
Chair Bedfordshire Rail Access Network
3rd May 2024
Andrew Haines, CEO of Network Rail setting out the reasons they are not delivering for disabled people
Reply from Andrew Haines, Network Rail CEO – received on 20th May 2024
20 May 2024
Dear Mr Vaughn (sic)
Thank you for your email and open letter on behalf of Bedfordshire Rail Access Network on the Access for All (AfA) scheme at Biggleswade.
The delays to this project are disappointing and I’m sorry we haven’t delivered the step-free benefits sooner. You’ve heard what I said to the Public Accounts Committee, so I think my own frustrations are clear. Biggleswade is a good example of the kinds of issues that have challenged more effective delivery of AfA projects nationwide.
I know you and other local partners met recently with the project team and they confirmed we’re now aiming to bring the step-free access into use by summer 2025. The discovery of unexpected ground conditions during piling added unwanted delays to the wider delivery schedule. We’re working to identify new track access slots to allow work to progress and, subject to renewed funding approval, we expect work to start again in either late July or early August this year.
For context, whilst we’re responsible for delivering AfA schemes, the sites aren’t chosen by us and funding for such enhancements requires special approval outside of our own budgets. If issues arise after work starts, we must seek approval to meet any financial shortfalls, which, alongside the need to replan work around the operational railway, can further delay projects.
Clearly, though, as the primary sponsor of these schemes, we must understand what more we can do, with others, to overcome the problems that have affected too many projects to date. With that in mind, we’ve introduced comprehensive reform and recovery plans across our entire AfA portfolio, with more high-level senior oversight for individual projects. This includes appointing both an executive leadership team sponsor, and a new national programme director to increase profile, accountability and visibility across the business. As part of our recovery plan, all of our five regions are carrying out extensive deep-dive reviews of their AfA project portfolios, focused on increasing programme and cost confidence and certainty, as well as applying best practice from successfully-delivered schemes. That includes those with complex environmental and architectural constraints, as well as where we’ve worked collaboratively with local partners to realise much-needed step-free access for local communities.
Looking ahead, we’ve got further resilience and reassurance planned in the form of a monthly AfA programme board, jointly run by us and the DfT, from which the national portfolio will be led and governed.
I know none of this undoes the delay that passengers at Biggleswade have had to endure. However, I hope this response confirms our commitment to delivering this project and learning valuable lessons. The local team are keen to work constructively with you and other regional partners in that shared ambition and I’m looking forward to seeing how the programme develops further.
Yours sincerely
Andrew Haines
Chief Executive
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