MPs call for clarity and reduced political control in rail reforms

MPs have urged the UK Government to provide clearer detail on its planned rail reforms and to minimise day to day political intervention in the operation of Great British Railways (GBR).

image: GBR

The call comes as the House of Commons Transport Committee published two reports on the Railways Bill and the future investment landscape of the rail network.

The committee’s report on the Railways Bill highlights that the legislation currently provides only a partial picture of how the new rail governance system under GBR will function.

It identifies several key policies, processes and decisions yet to be published, with no firm timetable for when they will be released. The committee says this lack of clarity makes it difficult for Parliament and industry stakeholders to assess how the new structure will operate.

A draft of the licence setting out GBR’s responsibilities has not yet been made available, and MPs have recommended that the Department for Transport publish a comprehensive schedule of outstanding decisions, documents and consultations, including target dates ahead of GBR’s launch and during its first year of operation.

The Transport Committee also proposes amending the bill to reduce what it described as “potential tension” between the Secretary of State’s central role and the expectation that GBR should act as an arm’s length body. In its current form, the legislation could allow future transport secretaries to exert detailed control over GBR’s activities — something the committee said runs counter to the Government’s stated intention to give the organisation operational autonomy.

In addition, the committee identifies that the bill does not include a statutory duty on the Secretary of State to set a passenger journey growth target, a measure it said was fundamental to improving service levels and supporting economic and environmental goals.

The Transport Committee’s second report considers the pipeline of investment in rail infrastructure and services. MPs describe past funding as characterised by “boom and bust” cycles, which they say has created uncertainty for suppliers and contractors.

The committee says establishing GBR presents an opportunity to introduce a new approach to long term investment, but that this will require political restraint and clear communication on the body’s decision making autonomy.

Transport Committee Chair Ruth Cadbury concluded that while the Railways Bill has the potential to bring significant structural change, more information is needed on the timing and content of its key components. She said the committee looks forward to further detail from the Government on how it plans to achieve its objectives.