The Secretary of State for Transport (): Today, my department
launches a public consultation on the primary legislative changes
required to deliver structural reform of our railways. This
follows publication of the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail in May
2021, which heralded the start of the biggest transformation of
Great Britain’s railways in three decades, and the announcement
in the Queen’s Speech on 10 May 2022 of the introduction of a
transport Bill to Parliament which will modernise rail services,
put passengers and freight customers first, deliver for taxpayers
and combine the best of the public and private sectors.
The Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail highlighted the need for
change. It was clear that our railways had become fragmented, the
system was complicated, and passengers deserved better. This,
alongside spiralling costs, delays to upgrades and commercial
failures, pointed to a railway in need of fundamental reform.
Getting this right means that we can ensure this historic
industry delivers for its users, setting it on a more sustainable
and secure footing. It also means delivering a stronger, more
levelled up and increasingly green economy, of which the railways
are a crucial part.
Many of the commitments set out in the plan for rail do not
require legislation in order to be taken forward, and the
Government are already working in close partnership with the rail
industry to deliver rapid improvements for passengers and freight
customers. For example, new flexible season tickets went on sale
last summer and we continue to work with train operators to roll
out digital ticketing to make journeys easier. We are also
undertaking a comprehensive accessibility audit of stations
across Great Britain, continuing to cut the costs and time of
infrastructure work through Project SPEED and developing a
30-year whole industry strategic plan.
In addition to this, we have launched the Great
British Railways Transition Team, under the leadership of
Andrew Haines, to drive forward reforms and develop the model for
a new arm’s-length body, Great British Railways
including its initial structure, leadership and people. GBRTT is
focused on establishing a new, customer-focused industry culture,
driving revenue recovery efforts and establishing an interim
strategic freight unit to work collaboratively with the sector,
ensuring an immediate focus on delivery of the Government’s
ambitions for rail freight. GBRTT is also currently overseeing a
competition for the location of a national headquarters
for Great British Railways
to be based outside of London, in line with this Government’s
commitment to levelling up.
However, primary legislation is required to deliver key elements
of structural reform set out in the plan for rail. This includes
providing Great British
Railways with the powers and authority it needs to act as
the single guiding mind for the railways, ending years of
fragmentation. The consultation launched today seeks views of all
those with an interest in our railways, to help shape these
reforms.
The consultation is focused across three key areas as outlined
below.
The first is on the establishment of Great British
Railways including its proposed functions and duties and
how we propose to legislate and work with stakeholders to
enable Great British
Railways to become the single guiding mind for the
railways.
The second is focused on how we will ensure clear
accountabilities in the rail sector through a new governance
framework, including the regulator’s role in providing
independent scrutiny and challenge.
The third centres on reform of wider industry structures and
processes that are needed to deliver transformation of the
railways and a new industry culture, including a new passenger
champion role for transport focus and proposals for open data
sharing.
Great British Railways is key to delivering a customer-focused
railway. The plans outlined in this consultation will deliver a
rail system that is the backbone of a cleaner, greener public
transport system, offering passengers and freight customers a
better deal and greater value for money for taxpayers. The
private sector has played an integral role in improving our
railways over the past 25 years; these plans are designed to take
the best of the private sector and fuse it with a single guiding
mind that can drive benefits and efficiencies across the system
as a whole.
I hope that all those with an interest in our railways will find
the time to participate and share their views through this
consultation. Sharing your views will help to ensure the
legislative changes that we enact will deliver the vision set out
in the plan for rail, securing our railways so that they are able
to flourish into the future and as we approach their bicentenary
in 2025.
