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Transport Secretary Louise Haigh today (Tuesday, 3 September 2024) fired the starting gun on rail reform – ushering in a new era for our railways which puts passengers first. Today’s launch of Shadow Great British Railways (Shadow GBR) will set in motion a huge overhaul of the running of the rail network, bringing together leaders from the Department for Transport, Network Rail and publicly-owned operators. Shadow GBR will pave the way for Great British Railways – a new unified arm’s length body responsible for finally bringing track and train back together and overseeing both services and infrastructure. Today’s announcement comes as the Government’s Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill continues its passage through the Commons, marking further progress in the Transport Secretary’s mission to put rail services back into the hands of the public. The landmark legislation reinforces the Government’s relentless focus on reversing decades of delays, cancellations and unreliable services on Britain’s railways. It will prioritise passengers over private companies, putting the railways back on track, while saving taxpayers up to an estimated £150 million every year in fees alone in the process. The Transport Secretary has also modernised the railway – root and branch – so passengers are put first. She says this programme will save money for taxpayers and passengers and deliver a more reliable railway – and adds that this Government will not shy away from the tough conversations necessary to deliver on this. As part of the plans for reform, the Government has recognised the need to speed up training for drivers and is collaborating with the sector to build resilience and improve productivity. Following a consultation this summer on lowering the minimum age for drivers from 20 to 18, the Government is reviewing the feedback and will lay out next steps in due course. |
Institute of Transport Administration