4 This report examines the Department's approach to passenger rail franchising since the collapse of the InterCity West Coast competition. This includes how it has responded to the main recommendations of the Laidlaw, Brown and NAO reports, and the effectiveness of its programme management.1,2,3 We do not examine the merits of the franchising approach relative to other ways of delivering passenger rail services, nor do we look in detail at the franchises the Department has awarded so far under the current programme. We expect to look at the letting and management of passenger rail franchises in more detail when more have been awarded under the Department's revised arrangements.
5 We summarise our audit approach and evidence base in Appendices One and Two.
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1 Report of the Laidlaw Inquiry, Session 2012-13, HC 809, December 2012.
2 Department for Transport, The Brown Review of the Rail Franchising Programme, Cm 8526, January 2013.
3 Comptroller and Auditor General, Lessons from cancelling the InterCity West Coast franchise competition, Session 2012-13, HC 796, National Audit Office, December 2012.