The UK government
has announced a new public body that will run and plan the rail network, own
the infrastructure, and collect most fare revenue. The body, to be
called Great British Railways (GBR), will also procure passenger services and
set most fares and timetables.
The government said, “This is not
renationalisation, which failed the railways, rather it is simplification.
While GBR acts as the guiding mind to coordinate the whole
network, our plan will see greater involvement of the private sector – private
companies will be contracted to run the trains, with stronger competition to
run services.”
The government
has announced its plans for rail in the new Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail which “fully
reflects the independent recommendations of Keith Williams” who has been carrying
out a review into rail travel in the UK since 2018. This was well before the
start of the pandemic which saw traffic on the network plummet and the
government required to pump billions into the system to keep it running.
The government said the new plan
reflected the fact that the franchising model introduced at the time of the
privatisation of British Rail in the 1990s “had become unsustainable, with
multiple failing franchises, delayed competitions and dwindling market confidence”.
Although
the government is clear that this is not renationalistion, GBR will use the
famous double arrow branding of its pre-franchising predecessor British Rail.
“We will keep the best elements of
the private sector that have helped to drive growth. GBR will
contract private partners to operate the trains to the timetable it sets. These
contracts will include strong incentives for operators to run high-quality
services and increase passenger demand,” the government said.
The plan will also see changes to
fares, ticketing and services.
“We will make the railways easier to
use by simplifying fares and ticketing, providing more convenient ways to pay
with contactless, smartphone and online, and protecting affordable walk-on
fares and season tickets. Rail services will be better coordinated with each
other and better integrated with other transport services such as trams, buses
and bikes,” the government added.
On long-distance services popular
with business travellers, the plan promises a greater range of book-ahead
tickets to “end the sudden cliffs in prices that passengers can encounter at
different times of day”.
The plan also calls for the
expansion of online and mobile ticketing for long-distance journeys and season
tickets across the entire network.
The working
from home change brought about by the pandemic is also recognised with a commitment
to introduce flexible season tickets that will allow travel on any eight days in a
28-day period. These will be launched over the summer.
Industry reacts to rail shake-up
Commenting on the plan, Clive Wratten, CEO of the Business Travel Association, said: “The BTA welcomes today’s rail announcement of a simpler pricing structure and flexible fares. This is exactly the kickstart business needs to get travelling safely once more, and should give passengers more confidence in the timeliness and cleanliness of the UK’s trains.
"Rail reform has been overdue for many years. Great British Railways will only truly succeed if it’s created with a robust and responsive structure that interfaces efficiently with train operators to deliver better rail services.”
Jason Geall, senior vice president for EMEA at American Express Global Business Travel, said: “GBT welcomes the publication of today’s plan, which includes a vision for greater accountability and industry collaboration – to drive innovation for the right reasons. Flexibility, a renewed focus on customer experience, punctuality, efficiency and clearer compensation guidelines. We hope it brings this vital form of transport in the UK into the digital era and ensures a more consistent rail experience for customers.
“Rail should be at the heart of business travel in the UK and has the opportunity to play a central role in the post-pandemic recovery.”
Andrew Haines, chief executive which will be replaced by GBR, said: “Passengers deserve a reliable, affordable and sustainable railway, focussed on them. Today’s announcement will help us deliver that by simplifying the railway, paving the way to dismantle the legacy of complexity and fragmentation. Passengers and freight users will once more be put front and centre of a service designed and run for their needs.
“These changes will take time, but I am determined to get to work quickly with the industry and government. The pandemic has created significant challenges for the industry, and that means the changes we have to make are even more urgent. We must attract passengers back, deliver efficiencies and improve the service we provide. Today marks the start of an exciting new chapter for our railway, a chapter that puts the passenger first.”