Legislation that will transform Britain’s railways is being introduced today (5 November). The Railways Bill, which will be laid in Parliament, will create Great British Railways (GBR) – a new publicly owned company which will bring together the management of passenger services and rail infrastructure.
GBR will be accountable to passengers, freight customers and taxpayers and will be responsible for co-ordinating the whole network: from track and train, to cost and revenue.
The Government says that GBR, which will be headquartered in Derby, will create a simpler, more unified railway that delivers easier journeys and offers better value for money.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “Britain deserves a railway that is fit for the future – one that rebuilds the trust of its passengers, regenerates its communities and restores reliability and value for money.
“The introduction of this legislation is a major step towards a rail network that supports Britain’s businesses and delivers for the travelling public – paving the way for economic growth and access to opportunity across the country.”
Passengers currently face a rail system of over 17 different organisations.
The Railways Bill builds on the Government’s public ownership programme.
Major changes in the Bill include a strengthened passenger watchdog, fare and ticketing reform, and localised decision making giving Devolved Governments and England’s mayors a bigger say in how the railway is run in their patch.
The Bill also focuses on better business planning, placing a duty on GBR to grow rail freight, meaning freight operators will benefit from a longer-term strategic approach to planning, including a new capacity allocation and timetabling process. This aims to give stability to the railway’s supply chain, increase investor confidence and sector growth.
In a further move to improve services, the Government will publish the Accessibility Roadmap to improve services for disabled passengers in the lead up to GBR’s establishment.
