How to Derail the Budget Deficit: Privatise Network Rail
July 6, 2010, The Times

The Government should privatise Network Rail to reduce the UK's budget deficit. Network Rail's management is stronger than its predecessor Railtrack, and the company has a stable revenue stream, leaving it ripe for equity issue.

"Privatising Network Rail could bring in at least £12 billion - almost 10% of the national deficit," says Tom Winsor, partner in the infrastructure and project finance group at White & Case. "It would also attain another government objective - of getting its management to feel the hot breath of shareholder impatience on their necks. This would bring back the most potent interest of accountability, so carelessly destroyed by the previous Government."