Press Release      17 March 2010

Warm welcome for new NSARE scheme

The Rail Freight Group (RFG) has warmly welcomed the decision to go-ahead with creating a new National Skills Academy for Rail Engineering (NSARE).

The Department for Business Innovation and Skills made the announcement today (17 March) and said the academy would benefit from around £3m of government funds through the Skills Funding Agency.

NSARE has been widely supported from across the rail sector with Network Rail, Transport for London (TfL), the Rail Industry Asociation and the Association of Train Operators (ATOC) all backing the plans with the RFG.

Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis also welcomed the decision and said: “The creation of this new academy is very timely. Just last week I set out proposals for a new high speed rail network linking London to Birmingham, Manchester, the East Midlands, Sheffield and Leeds.

"Building and maintaining this network would not only create significant new opportunities for the UK’s design, engineering, construction and manufacturing sectors, it would require a new generation of skilled railwaymen and women," he added.

[ENDS]