MP celebrates landmark bill to take back control of railways
David Taylor MP has voted for the Government’s plan to bring our Railways back into public control through a new publicly owned company, Great British Railways (GBR).
The Railways Bill will establish a new publicly owned company, Great British Railways (GBR), to run and manage the tracks and trains used by passengers every day. The transition to a publicly owned railway will drive up reliability and clamp down on unacceptable levels of delays, cancellations and waste seen under decades of failing franchise contracts.
It is expected that local operator West Midlands, will enter public ownership in February.
The Bill will also give passengers a powerful new voice with a Passenger Watchdog, which will set tough standards for the railways in all areas. The Passenger Watchdog will be able to investigate disputes around missing passenger assistance, broken amenities, poor customer service and more.
As part of the Bill, a new GBR app and website will also put tickets to Britain’s reformed railway in the palm of passengers’ hands. Passengers will be able to book directly, without booking fees, and will also benefit from the expansion of Pay As You Go trials across the country.
This follows the announcement that rail fares will be frozen for the first time in 30 years, saving commuters on the most expensive routes more than £300 a year.
David Taylor MP said: “This is very welcome news for residents of Hemel Hempstead. I fully support the Government’s new approach to deliver better, more reliable rail services for passengers.”
Through the Passenger Watchdog, the simplification of fares and the elimination of bureaucracy, we are taking back control of our railways and putting them back in the service of passengers”
To mark this new chapter, the Government have also released the GBR branding which will come to feature on trains and at stations across the entire network.