Transport
secretary
Ann-Marie
Trevelyan
has
confirmed
that
legislation
to
create
Great
British
Railways
will
be
postponed
at
least
until
next
year.

She
was
answering
questions
from
members
of
the
Commons
Transport
Select
Committee,
and
refused
to
be
drawn
on
a
revised
timetable.

The
Committee
was
also
told
that
it
is
possible
for
GBR
to
start
playing
a
part
in
running
the
railway
even
before
a
Transport
Act
has
been
passed.
For
example,
GBR
could
recommend
a
choice
of
operator
for
a
contract,
leaving
the
Department
for
Transport
to
carry
out
the
legal
formalities.

Anne-Marie
Trevelyan
told
the
MPs
on
the
Committee:
‘The
challenges
of
the
energy
legislation
we
have
got
to
bring
in,
and
various
others,
have
meant
we
have
lost
the
opportunity
to
have
[a
major
Transport
Bill]
in
this
session.
What
we
are
continuing
to
pitch
for
would
be
what
I
would
call
a
“narrow”
Bill,
around
legislation
about
such
things
as
e-scooters.’

She
was
later
asked
by
MP
Chris
Loder
if
it
was
still
her
intention
to
create
GBR.
She
responded:
‘What
I
want
to
do
is
fully
implement
the
modernisation,
so
that
we
have
got
something
that’s
genuinely
fit
for
purpose.
The
passenger
and
the
freight
provider
are
at
the
heart
of
the
service
we
want
to
be
providing.’

Department
for
Transport
permanent
secretary
Bernadette
Kelly
confirmed
that
without
the
full
legislation,
it
would
not
be
possible
for
GBR
to
take
over
by
2024.

Andy
Bagnall
is
chief
executive
of
Rail
Partners,
which
now
represents
operators.
He
said
‘It
is
disappointing
the
legislation
to
create
Great
British
Railways
will
be
delayed,
but
we
look
forward
to
working
with
the
secretary
of
state,
rail
minister
and
Great
British
Railways
Transition
Team’s
leadership
to
progress
reform
in
its
absence.

‘It
is
critical
there
is
not
a
long
hiatus
and
there
are
immediate
steps
that
can
be
taken
now,
such
as
switching
on
revenue
incentives
in
National
Rail
Contracts
and
feeding
back
to
the
market
on
passenger
service
contracts
development,
which
can
accelerate
growth
and
underpin
a
reinvigorated
public-private
partnership.’