railbusinessdaily.com’s Post

The new government plans to renationalise the railways within five years, leveraging existing public ownership and insights from the Williams Review on industry issues. They aim to save £700 million by allowing contracts to expire naturally. Secretary of State for Transport Louise Haigh prioritises customer-friendly reforms, such as simplified ticketing and increased accountability. Public support is strong, with a 76% approval rating. While the reforms promise lower ticket prices and improved benefits, challenges remain due to union demands and industry uncertainty. Future changes may see all services unified under Great British Railways, reminiscent of the old British rail days.   What are your thoughts on the renationalisation plans for rail? Chris Jones #rail #renationalisation #railreform Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eSkku23w

The government’s commitment to nationalisation is clear from the ongoing progression of the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill. Yet rushing reforms without careful planning could risk exacerbating the very problems we are trying to solve — delays, overcrowding, and poor service. As I argue in my latest op-ed for the Railway Gazette International, we need a measured approach that prioritises customers and safety, while ensuring careful management of industry finances.   At Transport UK Group, we’ve seen success with Greater Anglia—one of the most reliable operators post-pandemic. However, delivering these results nationally requires systemic change, not quick fixes.   Given the scale of the task, the government should resist the temptation to push through hasty reform of the UK rail sector. Let’s take the time to get this right. Reforming the UK rail system is a marathon, not a sprint. https://lnkd.in/ex5izS_H

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh MP has initiated #rail reform, prioritising passengers in a new era for our railways. An article by railbusinessdaily.com explores this transformative move. The question remains: when will we witness tangible change? #RailReform

No doubt the launch of Great British Railways, when it arrives, will be a pivotal moment for the UK rail sector. But I have been wondering how rail advocates like me, the business community and the public at large will judge the success of Labour's rail rethink. For me the bellwether of success will be the state of #CrossCountry services at the end of the parliament. This benighted business gets much less coverage than other supposed 'basket case' operators like Avanti West Coast or TransPennine Express. Yet in the case of both of those TOCs, industrial relations issues have played a huge role in preventing an adequate service over recent years. CrossCountry, on the other hand, is dysfunctional by design. As Peter Kennan made clear in an eloquent recent post, XC's woes have been more than 20 years in the making: the short train formations, the lack of cosmetic improvements to the noisy and (by rail standards) polluting Voyager DEMUs, the lack of luggage space, the dismal catering offer, the DfT-mandated shrinking of an already hopelessly inadequate rolling stock fleet...I could go on. In Railway Gazette International's UK content, we've been consciously writing more about XC simply because it is -- as its former MD told us last year -- Britain's 'national train operator'. And, on a personal note, I've been using it a lot more over the past couple of years, with what can best be described as 'mixed feelings'. Yet because XC doesn't have MPs using it to get to London and nor is it relevant to the interminable 'north-south divide' narrative, its dysfunction seems arguably to be glossed over. This cannot be right for what should be a strategically important transport provider linking many of our economic heartlands. If CrossCountry becomes ‘boringly reliable’ within GBR by 2029, that in my opinion will be a decent yardstick by which to judge Labour's reforms. https://lnkd.in/dTu8k-TR

🚅 UK transport minister demands ‘immediate action’ on rail reliability - Financial Times Have you ever experienced the frustration of train delays and cancellations? It's time for change. The UK transport minister has called for urgent measures to improve rail reliability. As commuters, we deserve a transport system we can rely on. Let's hope this leads to real improvements. #UKTransport #RailReliability #PublicTransport https://ift.tt/mfdVjD6

UK Rail passengers can expect enhanced train services with the new transport bill outlined in the King’s Speech. This legislation aims to bring the UK's railways back into public ownership, ensuring improved connectivity and efficiency for all. Learn more about this promising development in this article from railbusinessdaily.com #Railways #UKTransport #PublicOwnership 🚆🌟

New rail plans could see Edinburgh to Cardiff route in aim to boost UK #connectivity #Edinburgh rail passengers could soon be able to #travel directly to #Cardiff if new #plans are given the go ahead to introduce #openaccess services across the UK. The move would be part of plans that would see open access services on seven routes that are being developed across the UK to ‘increase competition and reduce fares,’ analysis by the PA News agency found. Millions of people could be seen to benefit from new train services under the plans and it is rumoured that there could be an extension of Lumo’s London King's Cross-Edinburgh route to and from Glasgow. The new type of train service will operate out of three major London stations and could cut fares by 60 per cent and end strikes. Britain's #railways have been repeatedly hit by industrial action in recent years, with a dispute involving members of train drivers' union ASLEF ongoing. It has also been given the go-ahead to run trains between London Paddington and Carmarthen, in south-west Wales, and is consulting on starting services between Edinburgh and Cardiff. Managing director Ian Yeowart said the growth in passenger numbers on the East Coast Main Line between London King's Cross and Edinburgh demonstrated the "significant benefits" of open access. The UK #Government is planning measures to encourage further #proposals, despite concerns that open access services create additional strain on the network and take too much revenue away from conventional #operators. The vast majority of trains in Britain are run by operators either owned or paid management fees by the #UK, #Scottish or #Welsh governments. In contrast, open access operators set their own fares, take on all revenue risk and receive no taxpayer-funded subsidies. In deciding whether to approve new open access applications, regulator the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) assesses factors such as the benefit to passengers, whether sufficient new revenue will be generated, and the impact on the punctuality of existing services. Rail minister Huw Merriman said the UK Government was working to provide more certainty over the duration of the application assessments, reconsidering the required balance of costs between taxpayers and operators, and ensuring all unused track access slots were made available. “Open access is such a positive thing. It doesn't involve any direct taxpayer subsidies. It also breaths new life in terms of working practices." But rail engineer Gareth Dennis believes open access services should not be permitted in Britain because it is "incredibly complicated" to fit them in among trains run by operators with government contracts, and can "actually reduce overall capacity." He added: "The number of people who benefit from Lumo's cheap tickets is very, very small compared to the overall picture on the rail network."

Today's rail headlines - #InTheNews: Reports of Labour indicating plans to resurrect part of northern leg of HS2, mayors preferred option to improve links between Manchester and Birmingham, Office of Rail and Road (ORR) stats, and East Midlands Railway fleet refurb. Listen here: #UKrail #railways #headlines

🚆 UK transport minister demands ‘immediate action’ on rail reliability - Financial Times 🚆 The call for improved rail reliability in the UK is urgent and necessary. The recent demands by the transport minister reflect the widespread frustration felt by commuters and businesses over the inconsistency of train services. We can all agree that reliable public transport is vital for both daily commuters and the economy as a whole. Hopefully, this call to action will lead to tangible improvements in the reliability and efficiency of our rail network. Read more about this crucial issue in the Financial Times article. #Transport #RailReliability #UKInfrastructure https://ift.tt/mfdVjD6

Enroute Welcomes Key Labour Transport Initiatives Following the King's Speech 🚍🚆 In light of the King's Speech today, Enroute is pleased to welcome the key Labour transport initiatives that will shape the new government's legislative agenda for the upcoming year. These initiatives include: 🔹 Better Buses Bill 🚌: A bill to remove the ban on publicly owned buses, empowering local leaders to take control of their bus services. This aligns perfectly with our vision for devolution and funding. Learn more about our vision here: https://lnkd.in/eipPJM84 🔹 Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill 🚉: We support the initiative to bring rail services back into public ownership with its aims to improve passenger journeys this mirrors our vision for universal access to rail. 🔹 Rail Reform Bill 🚄: Legislation to enhance the railways by consolidating network management and passenger service delivery into a single public entity, Great British Rail. Contracts with private operators will be integrated into GBR as they expire. 🔹 High Speed Rail Bill 🚅: While the decision not to reverse the cancellation of the northern leg of the HS2 rail line is disappointing, we acknowledge the focus on improving east-to-west rail connectivity across northern England. Enroute continues to advocate for dedicated high-speed infrastructure extending north from Crewe/Manchester to Glasgow and Edinburgh. We're excited about these transformative steps towards a better, more efficient transport system. #Transport #Infrastructure #PublicOwnership #RailReform #BetterBuses #HS2 #Enroute #KingsSpeech