Rob Leech is a Technical Director at specialist consultancy Anturas. He has worked as a contractor, client, and consultant, and now draws on his knowledge to help organisations establish and run complex projects and programmes.

In this article, Rob discusses the UK rail and mass transit pipeline – and explains why Anturas is on a “growth spurt” in Ireland.

Since 2020, Anturas has been concentrating its efforts in the UK mass transit and rail market. And, until now, this market has been buoyant, despite low growth and varying levels political uncertainty.

Today, I have some confidence in the UK rail and mass transit pipeline, with the current Government committed to relatively high levels of capital expenditure on infrastructure to support economic growth through investment.

UK investment: Compelling numbers

And in isolation, the numbers look pretty impressive. In the UK mass transit market, a ‘Local Transport Fund’ of £4.7 billion (from 2025-26 to 2031-32) is allocated for the North and Midlands, aimed at local transport improvements – including mass transit systems. Of this, £2.5 billion goes to the North and £2.2 billion to the Midlands. Government has explicitly stated that the fund will cover “installing or expanding mass transit systems.”

A broader package of transport funding outside London was also announced last year, with around £16 billion allocated for city-regions and local transport over a multi-year period. This includes an allocation of £2.5 billion for Greater Manchester and £2.1 billion for the West Yorkshire region to support development of its mass transit System, a programme Anturas is heavily involved with.

Actions vs ambition

But my optimism is tempered by caution, and I’m careful not to get too carried away.

Because at present, Government’s actions don’t seem to fully match this ambition. Across the board, the team and I are seeing projects and programmes slowed up by involved processes. And the appetite for a more innovative approach to transport infrastructure development seems limited.

We would also like to see a meaningful pipeline for the UK heavy rail sector. While £43 billion has been set aside for operations, maintenance, and renewals under CP7, the cadence that existed before now seems lacking.

And, while we’ve been encouraged by the conversations around private sector investment, we’ve yet to see an overarching strategy that outlines how it could be achieved.

PFI and PPP had limitations. But the development of a model that decisionmakers could coalesce around certainly drove investment from the mid-1990s to in or around 2008. I am not necessarily advocating a return to this model, but I believe we need to take a closer look at how private finance could be harnessed.

I’m optimistic by nature, and my team and I will continue our work to lobby Government – particularly through our extensive rail SME network. We simply want to see it act on its ambition, delivering new mass transit systems. And if I sound frustrated, it’s because I’ve seen, firsthand, the transformative impact light rail can have. As Anturas’ Managing Director, Cath Leech, writes in her own article: “Light rail doesn’t just get people from A to B: it creates space, community, and social mobility.”

Light Rail schemes can transform regions and communities. Just look at Manchester Metro phase two, which had a far-reaching impact in the city and was key to the regeneration of Salford Quays.

Then there’s the Edinburgh Tram scheme – which, despite challenges, has helped to improve connectivity and drive regeneration in Scotland’s capital.

As we move towards the next general election, I’d urge Government to be bolder, cutting away the bureaucracy that has held us back. I am also hopeful that greater devolution will help unlock investment in the medium term.

Irish investment: Admirable ambition

And, as it continues to lobby for change in the UK, Anturas is also on a ‘growth spurt’ in Ireland.

Managing  Director Catherine Leech and I spent over a decade in Dublin, developing the Luas tram system. We therefore understand the Irish market better than many of our UK competitors, and the Irish Government’s ambition is impressive. The National Development Plan sets out €102.4 billion in Exchequer capital investment for the period 2026‑2030.  In addition, there is non‑Exchequer/equity funding (for large strategic projects including elements of Metrolink) of several billion euros over the same period. This brings the total “capital investment footprint” slightly higher, including around €24 billion in transport alone.

I believe the difference between Ireland and the UK is Governments’ willingness to carry through on its investment pledges. In Ireland, there seems to be acknowledgement that high-capacity infrastructure, not just in Dublin, is a key cornerstone of sustainable growth.

That’s why we want to see this kind of investment unlocked in the UK. And at Anturas, we’ll continue to push for it – because the results could be transformative.