Consultation on rail reforms to open

A Government consultation on a major overhaul of Britain’s railways will be launched on Tuesday.

The plans, which have previously been announced, include the creation of Great British Railways, a public sector body which will manage rail infrastructure and train operation, the Department for Transport (DfT) said.

A new independent watchdog will be established with powers to set standards on issues such as journey information and assistance, and will be able to refer instances of poor performance to a regulator for enforcement action.

Devolved leaders will be given more influence on services that directly affect their towns and cities.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “Passengers have put up with broken railways for far too long.

“This landmark reform will sweep away decades of failure, creating a Great British Railways passengers can rely on.

“We’re giving passengers a powerful voice with a new watchdog dedicated to addressing their biggest concerns, building railways people can trust, improving our services and boosting the economy in the process – the priority in our Plan for Change.”

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said: “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to overhaul how the railways are run – creating a service that puts passengers first, with more reliable trains and simpler fares and tickets.”

The consultation will run for eight weeks.

Separately, the DfT is also bringing ownership of all train operators in England under public control through the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act.

It claims this will save taxpayers up to an estimated £150 million every year in fees currently paid to private train companies.

Services run by South Western Railway, which operates out of London’s Waterloo station, are scheduled to be the first to be nationalised under the new legislation, in May.