Plans to centralise, streamline and improve the way Britain’s disjoined and expensive rail services are run could be watered down, according to reports.
The Times said Department for Transport sources have been told that railways are not a priority for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak – despite ongoing strike action by workers over pay and conditions; the failure of the latest operator with TransPennine Express losing its franchise; and poor quality services across the UK. It now looks like legislation to give powers to new public sector body Great British Railways (GBR) could be delayed.
GBR – which will be headquartered in Derby – was announced back in 2021 by Boris Johnson as a way to simplify the rail network and improve services for passengers. Now, according to The Times, officials at the Department for Transport are saying it might not be brought forward in this year’s King’s Speech.
The body was to absorb state-owned infrastructure management company Network Rail and take on certain functions from the DfT, with its tasks to include issuing passenger service contracts to private companies to run trains.
It was initially due to be launched early next year but was delayed as the Government axed its plan to introduce a Transport Bill during the current parliamentary session, saying it needed to prioritise legislation to deal with the energy crisis.
But the legislation required to set up the body may now also be excluded from the next parliamentary session, the last before a general election that it looks like the Conservatives will lose.
The Time sources believe a significantly watered-down version of GBR could be established, without overall control of the railways.
The DfT sought to downplay the report, with a spokesperson saying: “The Government remains fully committed to reforming our railways and will introduce legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows, having already taken numerous steps towards reform.”
The work of GBR’s transition team is not being wound down, it is understood.
In March, Derby was unveiled by Transport Secretary Mark Harper as the location to host GBR’s headquarters, because of its long history at the heart of the UK rail network.
Downing Street directed questions from PA to the DfT.
