Transport
secretary
Louise
Haigh
has
launched
a
shadow
version
of
the
future
‘directing
mind’
Great
British
Railways,
as
the
Passenger
Railway
Services
(Public
Ownership)
Bill
reaches
its
Third
Reading
in
the
House
of
Commons
today.

When
the
Passenger
Railway
Services
Bill
becomes
law,
the
ownership
of
train
operators
will
be
in
the
public
sector
by
default,
ruling
out
any
return
to
the
former
franchising
system.

The
Bill
was
created
because
more
complicated
legislation
will
be
needed
to
give
GBR
legal
authority
and
to
allow
it
to
take
over
many
of
the
functions
of
the
Department
for
Transport
as
well
as
the
infrastructure
responsibilities
of
Network
Rail.

Louise
Haigh
said:
‘Today,
I
am
firing
the
starting
gun
on
the
biggest
reforms
to
our
railways
in
a
generation.
I
am
determined
to
end
the
chaos,
delay
and
disruption
faced
by
people
on
train
journeys
every
day.

‘Establishing
Shadow
Great
British
Railways
marks
a
significant
step
towards
delivering
a
unified
railway
with
passengers
at
its
heart
by
bringing
together
track
and
train,
and
by
progressing
the
Passenger
Railways
Services
Bill
we’re
one
step
closer
to
public
ownership
which
will
help
put
our
railways
back
on
track.

‘This
Government
will
direct
every
penny
into
creating
a
stronger,
more
reliable
rail
network
that
works
for
everyone.

‘This
is
about
making
the
railways
work
for
the
people
that
use
them
–
putting
passengers
first
and
driving
up
performance.’

The
private
sector
lobby
group
Rail
Partners
has
sounded
a
note
of
caution.

Rail
Partners
chief
executive
Andy
Bagnall
said:
‘Train
companies
have
been
calling
for
the
establishment
of
Great
British
Railways
for
many
years
but
rushing
to
ban
the
use
of
contracted
operators,
before
working
out
the
details
of
this
wider
reform,
is
a
political
decision
that
offers
few
practical
benefits
for
passengers.

‘When
the
government
is
facing
huge
financial
challenges,
it
is
counter-intuitive
to
remove
the
only
part
of
the
rail
system
with
a
track
record
of
driving
growth
and
reducing
subsidy
for
taxpayers
–
nationalisation
could
be
costing
taxpayers
£1
billion
per
year
by
the
end
of
this
Parliament.’

Meanwhile,
a
new
Rail
Sale
has
been
announced
for
early
next
year,
to
coincide
with
celebrations
to
mark
the
200th
anniversary
of
the
railways.
The
sale
will
be
intended
to
encourage
more
people
to
travel
by
train
by
offering
discounts
of
up
to
50
per
cent
off
fares
for
a
limited
period.