§ Mr. John GreenwayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the privatisation of British Rail's infrastructure service activities.
§ Mr. FreemanI have today approved proposals from the British Railways Board for the restructuring and sale of its infrastructure service activities.
From next April, British Rail will operate a new division—British Rail Infrastructure Services—BRIS—which will contract with Railtrack and the train operating companies to provide infrastructure maintenance, renewal and associated services. BRIS will be restructured during 1994–95 to set up two major groups of companies. One group will provide infrastructure maintenance services and the other will undertake renewal and other capital schemes. Other BRIS activities, for example design services, will also be established as companies. The companies will be sold during 1995 and the early part of 1996. BR's aim is to complete the transfer of the companies to the private sector by April 1996.
Transferring these companies to the private sector and opening up the infrastructure supply market will ensure the competitive and efficient supply of infrastructure services to the rail industry.