Plans for a landmark bill to rewire Britain’s railways, including setting up a powerful passenger watchdog to give passengers a voice and hold train operators to account have been unveiled by the Government.
The overhaul will establish Great British Railways (GBR), the new body bringing track and train together, delivering reliable services for passengers and catalysing growth across the country. Outlined in a consultation launched on Tuesday 18 February, the plans will put passengers at the forefront of all decisions made on the railways.
Through this consultation the Government will be working with industry to unite train and track, and end end to outdated and inefficient processes which have resulted in poor performance, timetable chaos, and complex fares and ticketing. It will also give devolved leaders more of a say on the services that directly impact their towns and cities.
The new independent watchdog will be tasked with ensuring GBR addresses the issues that consistently rank highest in passenger complaints, rooting out the problems that cause poor journeys, ensuring passengers are given clear information when they travel, and help tackle the maze of confusing rail fares and tickets passengers have to navigate.
It will hold operators to account on behalf of passengers and arbitrate where passengers are not satisfied about the handling of a complaint. Working with the Transport Secretary and GBR, it will also be given the powers to set clear standards for passengers on things like journey information and assistance, investigate persistent problems, and publish reports on poor service. Where poor passenger experiences are identified, it will be able to refer this to the railway regulator for enforcement action.
Growth is key priority of the Government’s Plan for Change and one of GBR’s guiding principles will be to work closely with the private sector to create jobs and drive investment and innovation.
This includes investing billions of pounds in the private sector supply chain, so that improvements to the network are more coordinated, giving longer-term assurance to businesses. A long-term rail strategy will give industry certainty on what they can expect, including a long-term plan for rolling stock.
Open access services will continue having a place on the network where they encourage growth, improve connectivity and provide more choice for passengers, as long as these benefits are not outweighed by costs to the taxpayer and impacts to performance.
Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander said: “Passengers have put up with broken railways for far too long. This landmark reform will sweep away decades of failure, creating a Great British Railways passengers can rely on.
“We’re giving passengers a powerful voice with a new watchdog dedicated to addressing their biggest concerns, building railways people can trust, improving our services and boosting the economy in the process – the priority in our Plan for Change.”
Laura Shoaf, chair of Shadow Great British Railways, added: “GBR will fundamentally change our railways, delivering growth, connections and opportunities across the country.
“The plans set out today will mean a better railway for everyone that uses it, allowing industry to work closer together, putting passengers and customers first and providing better value for money for taxpayers.
Responding to the announcement, Railway Industry Association (RIA) chair Noel Travers commented: “RIA has consistently called for Government to move forward with industry reform. More than anything, businesses supplying the railway need clarity and certainty over the Government’s plans for the sector, so that they can invest with confidence. It is welcome that the Government’s announcement recognises the need for a long-term rail strategy to give industry certainty on what they can expect, including a long-term plan for rolling stock, which is urgently needed.
Transport union TSSA welcomed the consultation on GBR but the government to go further by bringing rail freight and rolling stock companies into the public sector and stressed the need for proper protections for workers.
“At the heart of this transition must be a firm commitment to protect jobs, pay, pensions, and conditions for all railway workers,” said TSSA General Secretary Maryam Eslamdoust.
“There must be no detriment to pay or terms and conditions as GBR takes shape. A just transition means levelling up pay and conditions across Network Rail and the Train Operating Companies while ensuring a fair deal and a voice for transport and travel workers.
“Through this consultation, our union will make the case for bringing all parts of the railway into public ownership. Freight and rolling stock leasing companies extract profits that could be reinvested to improve services, expand capacity, and ensure a railway that truly serves passengers and workers alike.”
The consultation which started on 18 February will last for eight weeks.
Image credit: iStockphoto.com/Marc Scruton
