The
charity

Campaign
for
Better
Transport
has
welcomed
the
Government’s
plans
to
devolve
more
responsibility
for
train
services
to
the
English
regions.

A
new
White
Paper
says:
‘Mayors
will
be
given
a
statutory
role
in
governing,
managing,
planning
and
developing
the
rail
network.
In
addition
to
partnerships
with
Great
British
Railways,
Mayors
of
Established
Mayoral
Strategic
Authorities
will
have
a
clear
right
to
request
greater
devolution
of
services,
infrastructure
and
station
control
where
it
would
support
a
more
integrated
network.’

Silviya
Barrett
from
the
CBT
said:
‘This
is
a
model
that
has
worked
well
in
London
and
Liverpool
and
enables
local
leaders
to
deliver
the
services
that
work
for
their
communities.

‘We’re
equally
pleased
that
Great
British
Railways
will
facilitate
the
expansion
of
multi-modal,
integrated
ticketing
across
city
regions.
This
needs
to
be
a
part
of
wider
fares
and
ticketing
reform
to
ensure
passenger
across
the
country
benefit
from
simpler
and
better
value
fares.

‘We
are
pleased
to
see
the
move
to
multi-year
funding
settlements
and
the
re-introduction
of
Local
Transport
Plans,
which
will
provide
much-needed
certainty.
To
be
successful
in
delivering
sustainable
transport
networks
that
work
for
local
areas,
transport
funding
should
be
linked
to
levels
of
improvements
required
to
create
the
modal
shift
needed
to
meet
national
carbon
reduction
objectives.’

The
Railway
Industry
Association,
which
represents
suppliers,
has
also
welcomed
the
plans.

RIA
chief
executive
Darren
Caplan
said:
‘RIA’s
Nations
&
Regions
network
already
has
close
relationships
with
Combined
Authorities
around
the
country,
and
so
we
look
forward
to
continuing
to
work
closely
with
the
Metro
Mayors
as
they
take
on
a
new
statutory
role
in
governing,
managing,
planning
and
developing
their
local
and
regional
rail
networks.’