All UK policy articles
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Rail Business UKGovernment sets out its plan for how Great British Railways will work
Rail Business UK looks at the details of the government’s rail reform plans, which would restructure the industry and establish Great British Railways as a new body bringing together infrastructure and operations in the biggest shake-up of the sector since privatisation.
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Rail Business UKIndustry responds to UK rail reform bill consultation
Rail Business UK provides a round-up of responses to the start of consultation on the government’s rail reform bill
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Rail Business UKRail reform could end need for regulated fares
UK: Announcing this year’s rail fare increase for Wales, the Welsh government’s Cabinet Secretary for Transport & North Wales Ken Skates said he hoped rail reform would end the need for regulated fares. On February 6 Skates announced an overall increase in regulated rail fares of ...
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In depthGreat British Railways: Industry seeks clarity as reform makes slow progress
The biggest reforms to Britain’s railways since privatisation 30 years ago are now being implemented. Andrew Grantham tries to cut through the noise and explain what is actually going on.
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Rail Business UKPhased integration of Manchester rail services into Bee Network confirmed
UK: Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has set out a phased approach to bring rail into the Bee Network of public transport services which is now being rolled out across the conurbation. Burnham said on January 21 that he expected eight commuter rail lines covering ...
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Rail Business UKGreat British Railways and private sector to compete for ticket sales
UK: The Department for Transport has announced that the future Great British Railways will sell tickets online, while retaining a ‘thriving’ private sector market where third party ticket retailers can compete in an ‘open and fair’ manner. Plans to create a centralised GBR online ticket retailer ...
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Rail Business UKTransport Secretary sets out five priorities for Shadow Great British Railways in 2025
UK: Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander set out five priorities for Shadow Great British Railways in her first major rail-focused speech in the role. Speaking to staff from the government’s in-house operator DfT Operator Ltd in Manchester on January 20, Alexander confirmed that an industry-wide Rail Plan ...
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Rail Business UKFirstGroup makes its case for open access alongside Great British Railways
UK: FirstGroup has set out its case for retaining a ‘thriving’ open access sector as part of the restructured railway, arguing that privately-funded services without government contracts can drive growth across all operators including those to be controlled by Great British Railways.
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NewsRail freight operators propose four measures to boost growth
UK: Ahead of consultation on the government’s rail reform bill, operating group association Rail Partners and its five freight members have published A Greener Track making four proposals to support growth. The first is for the bill to include legal protections to maintain investor confidence in ...
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Rail Business UKOpen access ‘at a crossroads’ as government sets out more stringent tests for approval
UK: Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander has set out her expectations for how applications to run open access services should be considered as the rail industry is restructured.
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Rail Business UKQuestions remain for the rail sector in English devolution plans
UK: The rail sector has welcomed the outline plans for local politicians to have greater control of passenger rail services which are set out in the government’s white paper on devolution in England, but questions remain about the future scope and structure.
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Rail Business UKMPs to investigate how rail investment pipelines could help the supply industry
UK: The House of Commons Transport Committee is to launch an inquiry into how the government could ensure a stable pipeline of projects and procurements to end ‘boom and bust’ in the supply industry and give passengers, staff, suppliers and investors more certainty about development priorities. ...
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Rail Business UKTrain drivers demand dignified toilets
UK: Train drivers’ union ASLEF has launched a campaign demanding access to safe, clean, accessible and dignified toilets for drivers. It has published a report into the current situation which Executive Committee President Dave Calfe said is an occupational safety, public health and human rights issue ...
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Metro Report InternationalDriverless London Underground trains are not viable, study finds
UK: The previous government’s proposal for the possible conversion of London Underground lines to driverless operation will not be taken any further, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has confirmed. Conversion to driverless operation is regularly suggested by politicians and commentators, often in the belief that this ...
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Rail Business UKRail industry responds to confirmation that SWR, c2c and Greater Anglia will transfer to the public sector in 2025
UK: The government has confirmed the timescales for the first three train operators to transfer to the public sector following royal assent to the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act 2024 which provides the legal framework. On December 4 the Department for Transport confirmed that South ...
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Rail Business UKHeidi Alexander replaces Louise Haigh as Secretary of State for Transport
UK: Labour MP for Swindon South Heidi Alexander was appointed as Secretary of State for Transport on November 29, following the resignation of Louise Haigh the previous evening. Alexander was MP for Lewisham East from 2010 to 2018, when she stepped down from parliament to become ...
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Rail Business UKIntegrated transport strategy for England to tackle the ‘bin fires’ of policy
UK: A public call for ideas to inform the development of a Integrated National Transport Strategy for England was announced by the then-Secretary of State for Transport Louise Haigh on November 28, hours before she resigned over an unrelated matter. Describing transport policy as ‘a series ...
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Rail Business UKRail Partners to be wound-up in the face of nationalisation
UK: The Rail Partners association of train operating company owning groups has decided to ‘wind down’ in April 2025, with the planned nationalisation of passenger operators leaving it without a future role. Rail Partners was spun out of the Rail Delivery Group in 2021 to provide advocacy ...
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Rail Business UKTrain operators’ revenue protection to be reviewed following ‘egregious’ prosecutions
UK: Secretary of State for Transport Louise Haigh has asked the Office of Rail & Road to undertake an independent review of the way train operators tackle suspected fare evasion.
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Rail Business UKRail Minister Hendy strikes conciliatory tone as he backs ‘fresh start’ for UK rail
UK: Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy struck an upbeat tone in his keynote address at the Railway Industry Association’s annual conference on November 6, promising ‘a new start for rail’ and confirming that High Speed 2 ‘will go to [London] Euston’. Hendy said it was a ...