The
Campaign
for
Better
Transport


has
published
seven
‘key
priorities’
for
making
the
government’s
programme
of
rail
reform
a
success.

The
list
has
appeared
as
the
debate
over
open
access
continues
to
heat
up.

Unpublished
analysis
from
consultants
Jacobs
commissioned
by
LNER
is
reported
to
claim
that
the
presence
of
open
access
operators
on
the
East
Coast
Main
Line
is
set
to
cost
the
state
operator
at
least
£1.1
billion
over
the
next
ten
years,
because
of
‘revenue
abstraction’,
which
is
one
of
the
main
objections
to
open
access
operators.

Transport
groups
have
been
applying
for
an
unprecedented
number
of
open
access
licences
recently,
particularly
after
Labour
won
the
2024
election
with
a
manifesto
pledge
to
renationalise
the
former
franchises.
The
first
of
these,
South
Western
Railway,
returned
to
public
ownership
on
25
May.
The
majority
shareholder
of
SWR
was
FirstGroup,
and
it
has
been
in
the
vanguard
of
open
access
applicants.

First
has
commissioned
its
own
reports,
and
one
of
these
said
that
its
operator
Lumo
would
pay
more
in
track
access
charges
to
Network
Rail
than
LNER.
First
has
also
denied
the
figure
of
£1.1
billion
in
revenue
abstraction
calculated
by
Jacobs.

A
number
of
open
access
applications
are
outstanding,
and
transport
secretary
Heidi
Alexander
has
been
sounding
a
note
of
caution
about
them,
while
her
department
has
declined
to
support
nearly
all
the
applications
currently
being
considered
by
the
Office
of
Rail
and
Road.
Network
Rail
is
also
concerned,
on
the
grounds
that
capacity
on
busy
main
lines
is
not
unlimited.

LNER,
meanwhile,
has
just
increased
the
number
of
daily
trains
between
London
and
Bradford
from
two
to
seven.
Bradford
has
been
served
by
open
access
operator
Grand
Central
since
2010.

The
Campaign
for
Better
Transport
is
in
favour
of
open
access,
saying
that
the
government
should
give
it
support.
It
also
wants
the
government
to
create
a
‘strong
foundation’
by
establishing
the
‘directing
mind’
Great
British
Railways
as
soon
as
possible,
be
committed
to
increasing
passenger
traffic
and
have
clear
funding
settlements,
improve
the
service
to
passengers
by
such
things
as
better
information
and
accessibility,
sort
out
the
ticketing
tangle
by
focusing
on
‘consistency
and
affordability’
with
a
cap
on
long-distance
fares
and
a
‘Rail
Miles’
scheme,
and
draw
up
a
strategic
plan
for
rolling
stock
renewals.

The
CBT
also
calls
for
a
better
deal
for
rail
freight,
which
is
mostly
remaining
in
the
private
sector.
It
says
the
government
should
invest
in
freight
infrastructure
and
create
a
fund
for
targeted
electrification,
while
giving
freight
priority
on
key
routes.

CBT’s
chief
executive
Ben
Plowden
says:
‘The
creation
of
Great
British
Railways
presents
a
unique
opportunity
to
change
how
the
rail
system
works
–
structurally,
financially
and
operationally
–
to
provide
a
better
customer
experience.
But
legislation
alone
will
not
be
enough.
The
clear
strategy
proposed
in
the
Government’s
recent
consultation
paper
must
follow.
This
must
be
grounded
in
long-term
thinking,
and
focused
on
outcomes
that
matter
to
passengers,
freight
users
and
the
public.’

The
Campaign
has
published
a
policy
paper
called
‘Track
changes:
making
a
success
of
rail
reform’.

Ben
Plowden
added:
’Rail
has
the
potential
to
underpin
the
UK’s
economic,
environmental
and
societal
ambitions
by
moving
people
and
goods
more
efficiently,
reducing
emissions
and
connecting
towns,
cities
and
communities
more
effectively.
But
to
realise
this
potential,
we
must
quickly
deliver
what
everyone
in
the
rail
sector
wants,
ending
the
cycle
of
short-term decision
making
and
giving
the
railways
the
long-term
clarity,
consistent
investment
and
strong
leadership
required
to
succeed.’

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