Corporate Affairs

The focus of the corporate affairs team is to create a more benign environment for ATOC and train companies in which to do business. We aim to do this by enhancing the reputation of passenger rail to generate or strengthen support among key contacts.

Building stronger relationships with government, MPs from all parties and the rail industry is at the heart of what we do. To buttress our efforts, we also seek first rate ties with; the wider business community, consumer groups and councils; the EU and devolved administrations; and think tanks and the Commentariat.

To improve the wider business environment for train operators, we seek to:

	Bring about franchise reform
	Influence investment priorities
	Reform Network Rail governance
	Achieve buy-in for our vision for rail

To become a more powerful advocate for passenger rail, the corporate affairs team focuses on media relations to defend and promote the sector’s reputation and public affairs to influence and inform key contacts. This work is underpinned by narrative which says:

	Train companies provide a public service, helping millions of people every day to go to work or study, meet friends and family, or get out and about to have fun
	Competition created by privatisation is transforming travelling by train, generating record levels of investment, customer satisfaction and punctuality – good news for passengers and taxpayers alike
	Major improvements in passenger rail are generating an explosion in train travel – train companies, working with the public sector, are developing a modern railway that is faster, smoother and greener
	Train companies are at the cutting edge of private sector organisations providing public services, and passengers have shown a vote of confidence in us, with journeys up by 60 per cent since 1996