Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has announced plans to reform Network Rail and diversify its responsibilities.

In a statement to Parliament, Mr Grayling stated Britain's railways "need to adapt and change" to cope with growth, with plans to make publicly-owned Network Rail share its responsibly for operating tracks with private train companies.

Under the proposals, a new organisation called East West Rail will be established to speed up the process of reopening the Oxford to Cambridge route, as well as to "secure private sector involvement to design, build and operate the route as an integrated organisation".

Mr Grayling said: "In order for all those involved to be incentivised to deliver the best possible service for the passenger, I expect the new franchises – starting with South Eastern and East Midlands - to have integrated operating teams between train services and infrastructure.

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"I will also be inviting Transport for London (TfL) to be more closely involved in developing the next South Eastern franchise, through seconding a TfL representative to the franchise specification team.

"We will continue to develop the model for greater alignment of track and train as further franchises are renewed – including the option of joint ventures."

Mark Carne, chief executive of Network Rail, welcomed the proposals.

"We strongly welcome these plans to bring more joined up working within the industry," he said.

"We have already devolved Network Rail into route-based businesses closer to customers, and the proposals announced today will build on the alliances we have created between these route businesses and train operators.

"Competition must be at the heart of any organisation that wants to behave like a private sector business. Competition breeds efficiency and innovation and will further encourage our own teams to push aside the barriers holding them back."

(LM/MH)