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.
