ABSTRACT
The decade or so since privatisation has shown that, although there was an expectation that the private sector would take the initiative in the development of the railway network, this has been far from how things have worked out. Instead there has been the most intensive period of public policy development with regard to the railways for many years, partly as a result of attempts by New Labour to secure integrated transport, although this tended to be overshadowed by actions necessary to address problems arising from privatisation. The general re-affirmation of commitment to planning, firstly by the Conservatives and then by New Labour, has also involved increased commitment to rail oriented planning, thereby continuing the trends of the early 1990s. But the problems caused by privatisation have led to imbalance in the policy process whereby expectations with regard to the railway network arising from planning and transport policy, have not been met.
