The case for rail reform is clear, and while legislation is important there are other areas the industry can work on in the meantime, Great British Railways Transition Team Lead Director Anit Chandarana told the Modern Railways EXPO Future of Britain’s Railways conference.
Mr Chandarana addressed the issue of the deferral of the Parliamentary Bill to give powers to the new Great British Railways organisation, which would allow GBR to take on the powers to procure and manage new Passenger Service Contracts, as proposed in the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail.
According to Mr Chandarana, the case for reform is clear and new Rail Minister Huw Merriman is a ‘clear supporter’ of the reform agenda.
Mr Chandarana said 97% of passengers have returned to the railways post-Covid, but they are using the railway differently, meaning there is a revenue gap to address. Moreover, he said pre-Covid issues remain – in 2019 passenger satisfaction was at its lowest level for a decade and taxpayer subsidy was increasing even before Covid support was needed. Rail, he said, was too siloed, too slow and too prescriptive.
Highlighting areas in which progress could be made ahe…
