Steven Broomhead is chief executive of Warrington Borough Council and writes a regular column for the Warrington Guardian

The recent announcement regarding the government commitment to improving our local transport networks is welcome, although this is a commitment not an actual allocation of £120m over seven years.

There is a general election to come and whatever the outcome, I really hope that this “step change” investment actually materialises so we can all benefit from local transport improvements. In the meantime, detailed plans will be drawn up regarding the development of practical projects which will improve further our local transport system and make it easier for us to move around.

In the past year, we have seen a great deal of progress in our local transport investment.

105 electric buses are ordered, a new bus depot opened and there are plans to enhance our local railway system with the provision of a new railway interchange station at Bank Quay. This would create a line to connect Liverpool and Manchester Airport eastwards and beyond. It’s an extremely exciting project but we know the decision regarding rail investment and delivery are taken at a glacial pace.

Sadly, rail developments are chronically slow with sclerotic legislation timetables.

The rail industry currently has dire finances, difficult industrial relations and poor standards of service. Decisions are very centralised. There is no single body that actually runs our railways and one “guiding mind” is needed to stop the different players, Network Rail, the government and the rail companies are all pulling in different directions.

As a child I once received a train set, all the components were in the box, it was up to me regarding the track formation, the train frequencies, this complete system under one (now fat) controller, perhaps is needed now?

A new body “Great British Railways” has been established in shadow form to pull all the strands together.

The new organisation which will be an integral rail body has yet to start its work including the powers to award rail franchises. The current arrangement having different companies owning and operating the trains and separate arrangements for the track, signalling and stations doesn’t really work for the benefit of passengers and freight operators.

So it is great that we are on the cusp of rail investment for our town but there is also an urgent need to consider how the railways are financed, governed and managed.