What does the Railways Bill say -- and what does it leave out? Part 1
The legal framework for Great British Railways has been unveiled at last, in the shape of the Railways Bill, which is to be debated at length during the Bill’s Second Reading in the House of Commons next Tuesday. But although the Bill appears to give Ministers many powers, it does not lift the veil on Great British Railways to any great extent.
The Railways Bill will be debated in full next week, after receiving its formal First Reading in the House of Commons yesterday. MPs will hold a detailed debate next Tuesday, 11 November, when the Bill to create Great British Railways will receive its Second Reading. Transport secretary Heidi Alexander told MPs: ‘Today’s passengers are at the mercy of a complex system of poorly co-ordinated organisations, all incentivised to look inward and outsource blame. GBR will put an end to this.’
ScotRail has taken the next step towards ordering new trains for suburban lines in the central belt by issuing a contract notice on the Procurement Contracts Scotland website. Potential suppliers are being invited to tender, and the new rolling stock should enter service in the early 2030s.
The text of the Act of Parliament which will create Great British Railways will enter Parliament today. The Department for Transport said: ‘GBR will be accountable to passengers, freight customers and taxpayers and will drive a relentless focus on responding to their needs. Responsible for co-ordinating the whole network: from track and train, to cost and revenue. GBR will deliver lasting change.’
The RMT has accepted a three-year pay agreement for London Underground staff, following ‘sustained negotiations’ with Transport for London. The union said it has also managed to secure commitments in connection with work-life balance, including ‘fatigue friendly’ rosters, further discussions on staff travel, and a consistent Boxing Day payment of ?400.
Trains are running between Preston and Carlisle again after a derailment early on Monday morning closed the line. The front wheels of a Pendolino train travelling south from Glasgow left the rails and four people were slightly hurt, but none needed hospital treatment.
The normal hourly train service will return west of Salisbury on 29 November after being reduced to two-hourly as the result of excessively dry weather, which caused the foundations of the track to sink and speed restrictions to be imposed.