Industry keen to get started on rail reforms…

Industry leaders have pledged to work alongside government to quickly and efficiently implement the reforms contained within The Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail. 

This includes Network Rail Chief Executive Andrew Haines, who has been asked by Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps to establish ‘interim arrangements’ while legislation is passed to formally establish the new and fully integrated public body Great British Railways. 

GBR will eventually absorb NR as well as many of the functions of the Rail Delivery Group, but the Government is keen to press on and accelerate any changes where possible in areas such as ticketing and National Rail Contracts.

Haines said: “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.

“Today marks the start of an exciting new chapter for our railway - a chapter that puts the passengers first.” 

RDG Director General Andy Bagnall said: “For our passengers, we are ambitious to move quickly and work with government so that we can attract people back onto trains with better services and maximise the railway’s contribution to recovery.”