Strategic Rail Authority

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The SRA's logo. Its motto was Britain's Railway, properly delivered

The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) was a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom set up - under the Transport Act 2000 - to provide strategic direction for Britain's railway industry.

Following the passing of the Railways Act 2005 it was wound up on 1 December 2006 [1] and its functions transferred to the Department for Transport Rail Group [2].

The Shadow Strategic Rail Authority was established in 1999 following the election of the Labour government in 1997 in an attempt to intensify public interest regulation of the fragmented railway network following the privatisation of British Rail. It incorporated the former Conservative government's Director of Passenger Rail Franchising. Its main function was awarding and ensuring compliance with passenger rail franchises - contracts between the state and private sector operators under which the operators committed to provide certain levels of service in return for public subsidies; some franchises were cash-positive, which meant that it was the operator who paid the SRA for the right to provide the services. The SRA's other functions were concerned with the financial support of other unviable services such as the giving of grants to support marginal rail freight services and the building of freight facilities.

The SRA was placed on a formal legal basis by the Transport Act 2000 and it ended its shadow existence on 1 February 2001.

The British government also wanted the SRA to take a more interventionist role with Railtrack and its successor Network Rail, but never gave it the legal powers to do so. Those powers rested with - and were jealously guarded by - the Rail Regulator, who frequently clashed with the SRA when he believed that it was over-reaching its jurisdiction.

The SRA operated under directions and guidance (D&G) from the Secretary of State for Transport. In Scotland it was also subject to D&G from the Scottish Minister for Transport, and was subject to D&G from the Mayor of London in respect of services operating within that city.

In Scotland the budget of the SRA was devolved to the Scottish Parliament under the terms of the Barnett Formula.

On July 15, 2004 the Secretary of State for Transport, Alistair Darling MP, announced that the SRA was to be abolished within the next 12-18 months, with some functions transferred to the government, some to Network Rail and some to the Office of Rail Regulation. Devolved governments such as the Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly Government and the Greater London Authority were given some input in their areas.

The SRA's first chairman was Sir Alastair Morton, who held office from February 1999 until October 2001. Its first chief executive was Mike Grant. Its second (and last) chairman was Richard Bowker who occupied both posts between October 2001 and September 2004.