The publication of the Government’s draft Rail Reform Bill has been given a broad welcome by much of the rail industry, although there have been some exceptions. The House of Commons Transport Committee has announced an inquiry in which it will scrutinise the details of the Bill, which sets out the basis for setting up Great British Railways. This would be the public name for what would be legally known as the Integrated Rail Body, or IRB. One revelation is that the IRB will not absorb Network Rail, as had been thought. Instead, Network Rail will become the IRB and take over various functions, including the awards of passenger contracts which have been made by the transport secretary since the Strategic Rail Authority was abolished in 2006. Such a change will need primary legislation, and this draft Bill starts to pave the way for that, but Labour has expressed doubt that this Bill will ever become law, because the party says that it would gradually renationalise the passenger railway in England by not renewing contracts when they expire, as has already happened in Scotland and Wales. The audience at the Bradshaw Address in London last night heard from rail minister Hue Merriman and Labour’s shadow rail minister Stephen Morgan. Speaking at the event, which is organised by the private sector lobby group Rail Partners, the group’s chief executive Andy Bagnall told the speakers that, ‘without actual legislation to create Great British Railways, the central tenets of the Plan for Rail are in the sidings’ and that ‘we don’t agree that a public monopoly is the best way to fix the industry’. Railway Industry Association chief executive Darren Caplan said: ‘Last May, RIA and 70 of our members wrote to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak about the need to take the establishment of Great British Railways forward. So whilst we would have wanted a full Transport Bill providing for GBR progressing already, it is good that the Government is at least taking this preliminary step towards unifying track and train, and developing a “guiding mind” and a long-term plan for the railway. ‘At a time when rail demand is showing a steady and continuing upturn, and with the RIA-commissioned Steer Report published just this week reporting that passenger numbers will grow between 37 per cent and 97 per cent to 2050, the Government needs to accelerate the legislative process without delay.’ Silviya Barrett from the charity Campaign for Better Transport said: ‘We welcome the publication of this draft bill, which is a much-needed step towards long-awaited rail reform, now we need to see it move swiftly through to the next stage. In the meantime, we urge the Government to move forward with changes that do not require legislation, including meaningful reforms to ticketing that deliver actual benefits and better value for passengers.’ The chairman of the House of Commons Transport Committee Iain Stewart has also welcomed the publication of the draft Bill. He continued: ‘Proposals to set up Great British Rail as a guiding mind for the rail sector have been broadly supported, and legislation to get these important reforms on track has been long awaited. The Transport Committee will soon launch an inquiry to scrutinise the draft Bill in detail and without delay. We will welcome views from across the sector, and will look to complete our work in good time before Parliament’s summer recess.’ Alex Robertson, who is chief executive Transport Focus, warned that ‘Passengers will judge these reforms based on whether they deliver more punctual, reliable services and better value for money. They also want to know who is in charge, so today’s step towards setting up Great British Railways is welcome. ‘We look forward to playing our role in making sure passenger interests are at the heart of how the changes are implemented.’ However, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch was not enthusiastic, saying: ‘This bill in its current form will do nothing to address the 30-year long decline in our railways since privatisation. ‘The government's priority is to support privatised companies so they can continue to extract huge profits and pay dividends to wealthy shareholders.’ TSSA general secretary Maryam Eslamdoust said: ‘The Tories are once again trying to rearrange the deck chairs after 14 years of their repeated failures.  ‘The draft Rail Reform Bill is completely inadequate. It does not address the damage that privatisation has done to our railways and infrastructure. It does not offer the fundamental changes that we need to deliver a fair deal for passengers and transport workers. The Conservative Government are simply on the wrong track. ‘The only way to sort out the mess unleashed by the Tories’ botched privatisation of our railways is public ownership, full stop. Thankfully, Labour is now committed to this, which can't come soon enough.’

The Government has published its draft Rail Reform Bill, which would pave the way to giving legal status to the proposed ‘guiding mind’ Great British Railways. GBR is referred to as the Integrated Rail Body, and the draft echoes previous suggestions that the IRB will be in charge of awarding and monitoring National Rail Contracts. However, the Explanatory Notes which accompany the text of the draft Bill say that the IRB will not absorb Network Rail. Instead, Network Rail will become the IRB, and the responsibilities which will come under the IRB will be transferred to it, such as the transport secretary’s present power to award operating contracts. The words franchise and franchising are used to describe future passenger operating contracts, but it is not clear how the new franchises will resemble the original version, which included substantial commercial risk for operators. Such franchises were abolished by transport secretary Grant Shapps in September 2020. The Department for Transport says the Government ’is committed to having a competitive railway, exploring new opportunities for open access operators’ but part of the Impact Assessment also warns that ‘When considering future applications for access, as well as the benefits for passengers, the government wants the Office for Rail and Road to give sufficient weight to taxpayers’ interests and the impact that proposed services will have on public funds’. Neither the draft Bill nor the notes which have been been published with it give any details about who would manage stations or make decisions about future rolling stock. Transport secretary Mark Harper said: ‘It’s been nearly 200 years since the birth of the British railways, and with travel patterns having significantly changed over the last few years it is now more important than ever that they keep up with the changing times. ‘This draft Bill demonstrates our commitment to reforming the railways – working with industry, we will move towards a more modern and financially secure rail network that delivers for passengers for the next 200 years too.’ Labour’s shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh said: ‘It is fitting that the Conservative's flagship rail reform plan has arrived so late, it has no prospect of ever becoming law. ‘Years after they promised change, they’ve finally admitted they can’t and won’t fix our broken railways. ‘Labour is the only party that will reform our railways – we will bring contracts into public ownership as they expire, and deliver a publicly owned and unified rail network, with every decision tested against delivering for the passenger and the taxpayer.’

Engineering deal Rolling stock leasing company Porterbrook is buying 49 per cent of Scottish railway firm Brodie Engineering, based in Kilmarnock. Porterbook said Brodie is the ‘only active rail engineering business in Scotland, specialising in heavy maintenance, refurbishment and overhauls’. The Caledonia Works were previously occupied by Wabtec and before that Brush-Barclay, the successor to Hunslet-Barclay. Porterbrook CEO Mary Grant said: ‘A healthy supply chain is fundamental to a reliable and efficient railway.’ Gateline strike Contracted out gateline workers at Northern will stage a 48-hour strike tomorrow and Thursday in a dispute over pay. Their union the RMT is also calling for the ending of zero hours contracts and the removal of the Timegate app which it alleges has failed to calculate pay and leave allowances accurately. The staff involved are employed by Carlisle Support Services. New Birmingham Far East link Railway professionals at the University of Birmingham are joining forces with East Japan Railway Company to create ‘innovative’ rail technology and look at new ways of staffing Japanese railways. University of Birmingham Provost Professor Stephen Jarvis and Japan Railway East Senior Executive Officer Shunzo Miyake signed a Memorandum of Understanding in a special ceremony. Additional station proposed in south Wales Transport secretary Mark Harper has pledged funding to pay for a business case examining options for reopening the station at St Athan on the Vale of Glamorgan line, which was closed in June 1964. He made the promise while visiting the area yesterday. Plaque commemorates Covid victims A commemorative brass plaque has been unveiled at the National Railway Museum by Network Rail chairman Peter Hendy and Angela Levitt-Harwood, who is the Railway Mission's chaplain in the York region. Lord Hendy revisited the museum where he had previously unveiled a temporary version of the plaque. The plaque is dedicated to the memory of railway employees and family members who died during the pandemic and commemorates the service and dedication shown by staff and British Transport Police.

The number of rail journeys made in Britain could almost double in the next 25 years, according to the most optimistic of possible outcomes suggested by consultants Steer in a report for the Railway Industry Association. RIA has often protested about the lack of long-term railway planning, and in particular the government’s failure to update the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline document for several years, although it is supposed to be an annual publication. RIA chief executive Darren Caplan has already called for ‘urgent action’ to ‘provide some stability to the rail supply chain, to avoid suppliers having to lay off staff or shift work overseas’. The crisis at Alstom in Derby is also continuing, with warnings that the works could close because it has no new orders for rolling stock. Steer’s new research sets out several possible developments between now and 2050, with passenger numbers increasing by least 37 per cent and possibly by 97 per cent. Various factors it attempts to take into account include the economy, rises in population, competition with other modes, changes to fares and timetables and other policies which affect rail, such as reducing carbon emissions with the aim of achieving Net Zero. Darren Caplan said: ‘This landmark report sets out a range of scenarios for future rail passenger growth, yet under all of them passenger numbers grow, which will have clear impacts on capacity in the future. ‘Under the lowest growth scenario, even if the Government does nothing and lets the industry drift along as it is, passenger numbers still grow by a third in the 25 years to 2050. ‘Alternatively, if a future Government adopts a bold and ambitious strategy passenger numbers could double by 2050, dramatically increasing revenues. Freight is also likely to grow in this time, with the Government itself setting a 75 per cent growth target over the next 25 years. ‘So there is clearly a huge opportunity to expand rail travel, benefiting the economy and its connectivity, as well as bringing social and decarbonisation benefits. To achieve this, we need to see rail reform and a long-term rail strategy as soon as possible, including a plan for increased north-south capacity, which all rail experts agree will not be delivered under current plans.’

A strike called for next week on London Overground has been suspended after Arriva Rail London made an improved pay offer, but the RMT is warning that although the 48-hour stoppage called for Monday and Tuesday has been cancelled its dispute with ARL is not over. The union had also called a second walkout on 4-5 March, and it is not clear if that could still go ahead unless the union’s members accept the new offer from ARL, which operates London Overground on behalf of Transport for London. An e-referendum on the new improved offer will begin after the weekend. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: ‘London Overground members working for Arriva Rail London have made progress through their determination to take strike action. ‘The dispute is not over but we have made sufficient progress to suspend the action next week in order for our members to assess the new offer fully in a referendum.’ TfL said: ‘We encourage the RMT to continue engaging with Arriva Rail London to try to resolve this dispute.’

The private train operators’ lobby group Rail Partners has published a five point ‘Manifesto for Rail’  aimed at helping the railways to recover from the long-term effects of the Covid lockdowns and the increasing uncertainty caused by the collapse of franchising. Its Five Point Plan makes the case for greater commercial freedom and an end to railway management from Whitehall. This freedom would include more open access operation where the capacity exists. Rail Partners is also warning that ‘it is widely recognised the railway is not performing as it should be and needs urgent reform if it is to fulfil its potential over the next parliament’. Apart from the pleas for greater competition and less government control, Rail Partners is also calling for an ‘overhaul’ of fares, because ‘the complexity of the fares system puts potential customers off using the railway. Attracting and retaining customers means providing them with an easy-to-understand process.’ The remaining points cover the creation of a new railway body which is ‘accountable to the public’ and making the transfer of freight from road to rail a ‘priority’. Rail Partners chief executive Andy Bagnall said:'Our Manifesto for Rail is a five point plan, backed by train companies, to get the railways delivering their full potential for Britain again. It gives whoever forms the next government a clear set of priorities to deliver reform and put the railways back on track to growth. The public is not that interested in how our railways are structured or organised, they just want to have trains that run on time and fares that offer them the best value for their journey.  'There doesn’t have to be a binary choice between a railway monopoly in public hands, and one that delivers competition and innovation by harnessing the commercial expertise of private sector operators. We need the “best of both worlds”, which means focusing the system outwards on passengers and freight customers by empowering operators to meet their needs, and creating a single accountable body so the public knows who is in charge.'

ASLEF has announced strikes and an overtime ban at two train operators for what it describes as ‘their persistent failure to comply with existing agreements’. Drivers will stage 24-hour walkouts at LNER and Northern on 1 March, and also an overtime ban from 29 February to 2 March. General secretary Mick Whelan said: ‘We are fed up to the back teeth with the bad faith shown, day after day, week after week, and month after month by these two companies. ‘We always stick to agreements which we make. These companies think they can break agreements – which they freely enter into – whenever it suits them. And they're wrong. This is a shot across their bows and a sign of things to come. ‘They need to stop what they are doing, start to behave properly and honourably, because their drivers – our members – are no longer prepared to be treated like this.' He added: ‘These disputes are entirely separate from our national pay dispute with 16 train operating companies – although LNER and Northern are two of those TOCs – because we haven’t had a pay rise since 2019.’ LNER said: ‘Our priority focus remains on minimising disruption to customers during ASLEF strikes, which sadly will continue to cause disruption and delays. We encourage ASLEF to continue to work with us to find a way to end this long running dispute which only damages the rail industry.’ Northern said it had been working to resolve a local disagreement. Chief operating officer Trcia Williams said: ’We’re surprised and disappointed that strike action has been called over a local disagreement that we have all been working positively to resolve. ‘We encourage ASLEF to work with us to find a solution and avoid further disruption for customers.’

The routes which make up London Overground are being given distinctive names and colours on the Underground map for the first time. The system was launched by Mayor Ken Livingstone in 2007 when Transport for London took control of Silverlink Metro, which had shabby trains and infrastructure after many years of under-investment which went back to the days of British Rail. Indeed, in 1963 Dr Beeching had recommended the closure of the line from Richmond across north London which then served the former terminus of Broad Street and now runs to Stratford. Sixty years later this line is unrecognisable, with frequent, modern trains calling at refurbished stations. Other parts of the Overground are similar. It was originally given the colour brown, but by the time the launch took place in 2007 the colour had become orange. TfL says its research had revealed that some passengers find the London Overground network confusing and that they would find it easier to navigate if the routes could be distinguished. Each route will be represented by a new line name and colour on the Underground map, at stations and on digital journey planning apps, such as TfL Go. TfL had worked with passengers, stakeholders, historians, industry experts and local communities to decide names representing the areas served and also marking London's history and cultural diversity. The six routes will be the Lioness line from Euston to Watford Junction via Wembley Central, to recognise the achievements of the England women's football team. On the map it will be marked with yellow parallel lines. The Mildmay line will run between Stratford and Richmond or Clapham Junction. It has been named after the small charitable hospital in Shoreditch, which played an important role during the HIV/Aids crisis in the 1980s. It will be marked with blue parallel lines. The Windrush line from Highbury & Islington to Clapham Junction or New Cross, Crystal Palace or West Croydon serves several areas with strong ties to Caribbean communities. It will be marked with red parallel lines. The Weaver line will be from Liverpool Street to Cheshunt, Enfield Town or Chingford. Some of its stations serve areas of London known for their importance in the textile trade. It will be marked with maroon parallel lines. The Suffragette line will run between Gospel Oak and Barking Riverside, and its name celebrates how London's East End working-class community fought for women to have the right to vote. It will be marked with green parallel lines. Finally, the Liberty line will be the isolated stretch between Romford and Upminster. Its name refers to the freedom that is a ‘defining feature of London’ and also refers to the historical independence of the people of Havering, through which it runs. The manor of Havering was given a royal charter in 1465 by Edward IV, which conferred privileges on its people. This line will be shown as grey parallel lines. The Mayor Sadiq Khan said: ‘Giving each of the Overground lines distinct colours and identities will make it simpler and easier for passengers to get around. In re-imagining London’s tube map, we are also honouring and celebrating different parts of London’s unique local history and culture. Transport commissioner Andy Lord added: ‘The London Overground is one of the most successful railways in the country and has grown to carry more than three million customers a week. The network, which has grown quite considerably since 2007, is currently shown as a complicated network of orange on route maps.   This can be confusing for customers less familiar with the network and could be a barrier for some wanting to use the Overground. These new names and line colours will simplify the maps and routes for our customers, and it is hoped it will encourage more people to make the most of our services.  It is also a great way to tell the stories of some important parts of London’s cultural diversity.’

Full Marston Vale service to return London Northwestern Railway has announced deeply discounted fares on the Marston Vale line between Bedford and Bletchley, in a bid to attract passengers back when full services are resumed on the route on Monday. Marston Vale trains were withdrawn in December 2022 when rolling stock engineers Vivarail went into administration, making their Class 230 conversions based on Underground rolling stock difficult to maintain. Four trains a day returned in November last year. LNW has been working to secure enough Class 150 units to provide a full timetable, and three units have now been transferred from Northern. For three months from Monday, a single journey between any two stations on the Marston Vale Line will cost £1, which will be up to 90 per cent less than the usual fares. West Coast Main Line reopens Trains are now running in both directions on the West Coast Main Line between Coventry and Rugby again, after a landslip on Sunday closed the up line near Church Lawford. Although northbound trains could continue at first, engineers had to take a full possession to deal with the problem. Although trains have returned, they are still being delayed slightly by a temporary speed restriction. Network Rail said it is monitoring the situation and that further work to stabilise the embankment further will now be carried out during overnight closures. Meanwhile, Network Rail is dealing with a simillar problem at Baildon, on a single connecting line linking Shipley with the Ilkley route in West Yorkshire. Engineers have been at the scene since 5 February after cracks were reported in a cutting slope. Over the past week, the land has slipped and repairs are now set to start. Network Rail has warned that the line may not be open again before mid-March. Merseyrail fares freeze Merseyrail fares are to be frozen for six months. Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said proposed increases will be delayed until September at the earliest, using money ‘clawed back’ from Stadler after problems with the new Merseyrail fleet. A freeze on Transport for London fares has already been announced by Mayor Sadiq Khan, but regulated fares on National Rail in England will increase by 4.9 per cent on 3 March.

The first unit in West Midlands Railway’s new fleet of Class 730 electric trains went into service last night. The Class 730s have been built by Alstom at Derby, and consist of 48 three-car sets. The inaugural unit worked the 22.41 departure from Birmingham New Street to Wolverhampton. From today, the trains are running between Wolverhampton and Walsall. The fleet is part of a £700 million investment in new fleets and infrastructure for WMR, which said its trains have ‘significantly more capacity’ than the rolling stock they are replacing. WMR customer experience director Jonny Wiseman said: ‘I am delighted that our fantastic new Class 730 fleet has entered service in the West Midlands. These trains will make a real difference for our passengers between Wolverhampton and Walsall. ‘The Class 730s have modern features including digital information screens, accessible toilets and power points at every seat. They will also provide a much more spacious feel and a higher capacity so more passengers can travel on our services. ‘Later this year we will be introducing the trains on other routes, including the busy Cross City Line through Birmingham.’