Ely enhancement is not there. Midland Main Line wires are on pause. Infill electrification is sadly missing. The UK government’s newly published 10-year infrastructure strategy lays out a £725 billion (837 billion euros) investment over a decade, with approximately £35.5 billion (41 billion euros) earmarked for rail enhancements between 2026–27 and 2029–30. But for the freight community, the headline figure masks a mixed picture.
Rail freight operators will be eyeing upgrades in the UK government’s 10-year infrastructure plan. Not necessarily the schools and hospitals. Definitely projects like the TransPennine Route Upgrade, a programme that improves both passenger and freight capacity on the North of England’s busiest east–west corridor. The £3.5 billion (4 billion euros) tranche for TRU has been welcomed, though freight stakeholders warn that the full benefits depend on timely completion. Similarly, investment in the Midlands Rail Hub, connecting Birmingham with the wider Midlands and Wales, offers potential uplift for intermodal routes and port connectivity.
Industry response: optimism with reservations
As reported by sister service RailTech.com, the UK government has just published a 10-year infrastructure plan. However, crucial freight corridors continue to be overlooked. One such omission, the Midland Main Line electrification to Sheffield, remains ‘on pause’. The project has again been sidelined in the government’s new package. This leaves diesel-hauled freight stuck on part-electric routes, curbing efficiency gains. Similarly, the Felixstowe–Nuneaton upgrade, including the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement programme, and critical to easing pressure on the country’s busiest container port, was barely mentioned, despite its clear importance to freight flows.
Otherwise, the freight world has largely welcomed the strategy as a step forward. The Railway Industry Association (RIA) praised the long-term horizon and the upcoming digital Infrastructure Pipeline portal, forecasting greater planning certainty for rail supply chains. The Chartered Institute of Highways & Transportation (CIHT) echoed the sentiment, highlighting the integration of transport with housing, energy, and digital projects as a welcome move. Engineers at AtkinsRéalis and Ramboll likewise signalled approval, emphasising that coordinated investment across sectors could turbocharge sustainable freight operations by unlocking modal shift opportunities.
Delivery concerns and regional gaps
That said, freight operators fear that big-picture announcements might not translate into timely delivery. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into inefficiencies and cost overruns in rail and road infrastructure projects, citing HS2, the much-maligned high-speed rail route between London and Birmingham, as a cautionary tale. Industry voices emphasise that unless the government streamlines procurement and delivery processes, flagship upgrades may drag on for years.
On the ground, voices from the Midlands and East Anglia are frustrated by repeated omissions. The UK government admitted ongoing delays in the Midland Main Line electrification south of Sheffield, while local stakeholders decry continued diesel-only operation as stifling regional growth, including freight. The Felixstowe–Nuneaton omission similarly drew criticism, given its pivotal status in port-to-network connectivity.
New authority or new bureaucracy
Although the UK government has committed to reducing bureaucracy, it has announced the creation of the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA). Positioned as the central body overseeing delivery, it is expected to launch the Infrastructure Pipeline portal later this month.
Freight operators worry that, instead of accelerating delivery, NISTA could slow decision-making. In particular, the sector needs fast-tracked enhancements, such as electrification of key freight links and junction upgrades, not yet visible in the strategy. With NISTA now in the mix, vetting turns into delivering. The test will not be whether plans are drawn, but whether freight trains can soon carry more goods, more efficiently, across Britain.