Thousands of UK companies are set to benefit as Network Rail starts its advanced procurement for a multi-billion pound investment programme for its next five-year funding period, 2019-2024, Control Period 6 (CP6)

• Railway open for ‘business as usual’ as majority of the network is unaffected by upgrade work
• In Bristol, Network Rail is undertaking the biggest ever re-signalling project 
• This work will provide faster and more frequent services to help relieve over-crowding on Britain's railways

The infrastructure company, which owns, manages and develops Britain’s railway, currently uses a panel of four full-service law firms and a couple of specialist firms across its national portfolio of work. The legal team of 26 lawyers, led by group general counsel, Stuart Kelly, will be running a procurement exercise for the new panel which will begin in April 2019.

• Continued significant investment in five-year period from 2019 with record expenditure of up to £47bn
• Big increase (25%) in funding to reduce delays and improve infrastructure reliability
• Around 1,000 extra services per day by 2021
• The plan ushers in the railway’s digital age

• Ted Baker, Mac, Cath Kidston, Hamleys, Rituals, and The Body Shop all to open soon
• New retail offer forms part of £1billion redevelopment of the station
• London Bridge will have more retail units than any other Network Rail station

• Network Rail to trial drinking water facilities at London Charing Cross

• London Bridge becomes second Network Rail managed station to offer free Wi-Fi to station users, after Euston
• Free Wi-Fi aims to enhance the experience of station users and help create stations that are destinations in their own right
• Service includes travel updates, free downloadable magazines, movie trailers, a kids zone, and a section on retail offers

Mark Carne, the chief executive of Network Rail, has advised the Board that he has decided to retire from the company later this year.  The timing of his announcement ensures that a new chief executive will be established in the role before the start of the next five year regulatory control period which begins in April 2019.