Found: These conclusions are reflected in the Railways Bill, which will now be thoroughly scrutinised by Parliament

Found: We are introducing new duties in the Railways Bill as well on Great British Railways about the focus

Found: Letter from the Secretary of State for Transport relating to the introduction of the Railways Bill, dated

Found: GBR will be set up after the legislative process on the forthcoming Railways Bill has concluded.

Found: We will be saying more about that around the introduction of the railways Bill.

Submit Evidence (by 26 Nov 2025)

The Government has introduced the Railways Bill to Parliament to legislate for its commitment to unify network operations with infrastructure management under a single organisation – Great British Railways.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Railways Bill on the coordination of services in London.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

GBR will maintain and strengthen collaborative arrangements with Transport for London (TfL), recognising its role in operating London Overground and Elizabeth line services on the national network and supporting seamless journeys across modes. London is integral to the rail network: in April 2023 to March 2024, it accounted for 952 million passenger journeys, the highest of any region. We will continue to engage with TfL and the Greater London Authority on the organisational design of GBR to ensure effective coordination. The design of GBR is being developed alongside the passage of this legislation.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to set a national framework for discounted fare schemes.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

It is not clear what a “national framework for discounted fare schemes” would mean. The Railways Bill will safeguard existing statutory discounts for disabled persons, younger and older passengers, which today are delivered via railcards. Other concessionary discounts such as veterans’ and 26-30 railcards are also important, and there are no current plans to withdraw these offers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Railways Bill on private sector innovation within the rail industry.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Establishing GBR through the Railways Bill will provide an integrated approach and greater longer-term certainty for rail, giving the private sector the confidence it needs to invest and support innovation throughout the sector. In addition, open access operators can bring benefits to the rail network and passengers and will continue to play a role in delivering services where it represents best use of the network.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to include passenger voice in the governance of Great British Railways.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Great British Railways will be held to account for railway performance and customer experience. The Railways Bill will establish a powerful voice for passengers, the Passenger Watchdog, to independently monitor passenger experience, advocate for passengers and to hold GBR and other operators to account together with ORR.

When developing its Integrated Business Plan, GBR will be required to consult with the Passenger Watchdog and will have an ongoing general duty to consider the interests of passengers and the needs of passengers with disabilities.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate her Department has made of the savings arising from the establishment of Great British Railways; and what (a) data and (b) calculations her Department used to make this estimate.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Railways Bill Impact Assessment provides an assessment of the potential impacts of the rail reform policies within the Railways Bill, including the establishment of Great British Railways.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish the total spending by her Department on (a) rail reform and (b) the formation of Great British Railways since 4 July 2025.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The recently published Railways Bill Impact Assessment sets out estimated costs for GBR and the passenger watchdog. Costs will be confirmed in the Full Business Case, which we expect to publish next year.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what formal representation (a) Welsh Ministers and (b) Transport for Wales will have in the governance structure of Great British Railways.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

There will be a statutory requirement for Welsh Ministers and the Secretary of State to agree a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The contents of this MoU have been outlined in Written Ministerial Statements by the Secretary of State for Transport in the UK Parliament and Ken Skates, Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, in the Senedd, accompanying the Railways Bill. These statements reinforce our commitment to collaborative governance, outlining shared ministerial intentions across areas such as track and train integration, cross-border service oversight, and the establishment of a dedicated GBR Wales and Borders Business Unit.

The final MoU will be published in due course as committed to within the Bill.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether through the (a) Railways Bill and (b) the associated policy framework she plans to ensure that (i) regulatory oversight of the infrastructure manager’s periodic review and (ii) the setting of its performance targets for each control period will be maintained at an adequate level.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Railways Bill will create a new Periodic Review process in legislation. The key role that the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) plays in ensuring a robust and well evidenced plan for delivery, including performance targets, will be carried across. ORR will provide expert, independent, and public advice across Great British Railway’s (GBR) proposed plan for the 5-year period which the Secretary of State, and Scottish Ministers, will need to consider before approving GBR’s plan for delivery. ORR will continue providing scrutiny throughout the 5-year period and will be involved when GBR’s plan is updated and changed.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to publish Great British Railway’s (a) Access and Use Policy and (b) Draft Licence.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

A consultation on a draft Access and Use Policy is to be launched during Bill passage to support implementation of rail reform. Under the Railways Act 1993, the Department is required to publish and consult on a draft licence, and this will not change with the Railways Bill. We intend to consult on the draft GBR licence during the Bill Passage.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of potential conflicts of interest arising from Great British Railways acting as both infrastructure manager and passenger service operator.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Government is bringing track and train together in Great British Railways, which will be a directing mind able to take long-term strategic decisions to make the best use of the network and which will deliver benefits for passengers, freight users and taxpayers. Beyond the specific requirements of the Railways Bill, GBR will be subject to legal obligations such as public law requirements to act transparently and fairly, and competition and subsidy control legislation, all of which helps ensure that GBR will act fairly, transparently and in the public interest.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Railways Bill on fare affordability for passengers on low incomes.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The government recognises the importance of balancing the affordability of rail fares for passengers and the cost to taxpayers of contributions to the railway. As set out in the Railways Bill and the government’s recent consultation response, in the future GBR will have significant responsibility for setting and managing individual fares, reflecting its role as the directing mind for the railway.

The new framework will be balanced by the Secretary of State’s role in setting overall parameters for fares, and will also ensure continued safeguarding of existing statutory discount schemes, including those for disabled, senior, and younger passengers, currently delivered as railcards.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what mechanisms her Department will establish to safeguard commercially sensitive route proposals made by open access rail operators.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Railways Bill will reform the existing rules for access and use of the railway by enabling GBR to take decisions on best use of the network. GBR will make these decisions against duties clearly defined in the bill, public law principles including to act fair and transparently, its own policies (which legislation requires GBR must consult on and publish), and wider legal obligations, including competition law.

GBR's processes and behaviours will need to ensure that any third party commercial sensitive information provided to GBR as part of this assessment is appropriately handled, in manner that enables all parties to comply with their legal obligations.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with (a) the West Midlands Combined Authority and (b) Walsall Council on using the new statutory role for devolved leaders under the Railways Bill to prioritise the reopening of Aldridge Station.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department welcomes increased influence of devolved leaders to help shape the future of the country’s rail network. This government has also confirmed a £2.4 billion Transport for City Regions settlement for the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to 2031-32 to deliver its priorities for local transport improvements. Should Aldridge Station be a priority, the region could consider using this settlement to fund its delivery. Continuing designs and a business case for the scheme, sponsored by WMCA and undertaken by Network Rail, will be completed in Spring 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has considered allowing railcards to be used for (a) weekly, (b) monthly and (c) annual rail tickets.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Season tickets already provide significant savings to the cost of rail travel, which can exceed the savings provided by railcards in many cases. Although there are no current plans to extend the validity of railcards, the Government recognises their value. That is why the Railways Bill gives Great British Railway the flexibility to update and evolve concessionary offers as passenger needs change.

The 16-17 Saver and the Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card already permit holders to purchase discounted season tickets.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what mechanisms will her Department establish to resolve disputes between Great British Railways and devolved administrations over service provision.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Railways Bill has been introduced to end the outdated model of franchising and structural fragmentation that inhibits how the railway is run. The vision for the future relationship between GBR and devolved operators is one of collaboration between public sector providers, delivering for passengers, freight and taxpayers.

The Bill requires the preparation and publication of two separate Memoranda of Understanding between the Secretary of State for Transport and Welsh Ministers and Scottish Ministers respectively. These will set out how UK and Devolved Ministers will cooperate with each other and how they expect GBR and devolved operators to work together.

The Bill requires GBR to consult Scottish and Welsh Ministers on its Access and Use Policy, which will set out the processes that GBR will follow when making decisions on access to its network and the criteria it intends to use to make those decisions. GBR will also be required to consult Scottish and Welsh Ministers on significant changes to GBR services to or from Scotland or Wales, respectively.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether existing rail track access rights will (a) remain and (b) be unfettered by the introduction of (i) the Railways Bill and (ii) policies thereunder.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government has committed to honouring existing access rights. As existing contracts expire, operators will move on to new GBR model access contracts. There will be a need to make technical amendments to existing contracts to ensure that they continue to work effectively following GBR stand up and the Government has included a power for the Secretary of State to make such amendments as required.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what protections exist to protect land and operations afforded to rail freight from (a) the risks of redevelopment and (b) other legal and commercial challenges; and what assessment she has made of the adequacy of existing protections.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government recognises that safeguarding strategically important sites for rail freight is vital to securing the growth of the sector and is committed to continuing to protect strategic freight sites. Currently, the consent of the Office of Rail and Road is required for any land disposals by Network Rail under its Licence Conditions 16 and 17.

The Department is currently working through a range of options to ensure their continued protection as we reform the railway. Any consideration by Great British Railways when disposing of land would have to take into account the duty to promote rail freight and the Secretary of State’s growth target, together with its other duties set out in the Railways Bill.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the relative operational cost increases for (a) rail freight and (b) road freight during the period from 2011 when fuel duty was first frozen for HGVs.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Fuel duty is a matter for His Majesty’s Treasury. The Government recognises the economic and environmental benefits of rail freight. The Railways Bill will place a duty on Great British Railways to grow rail freight, meaning freight operators will benefit from a longer-term strategic approach to planning, including a new capacity allocation and timetabling process.

As part of continued support for the sector, the Department has operated the Mode Shift Revenue Support scheme since 2010. The scheme is designed to encourage modal shift by assisting with the operating costs associated with running rail or inland water freight transport instead of road, where rail or inland waterway transport is more expensive. The relative costs have been reviewed to ensure that the scheme continues to achieve its goal to support modal shift and are kept under review.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions (a) she and (b) the Minister for Rail has had with the rail freight industry on the Railways Bill.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Details of Ministerial meetings with external organisations, including those with rail freight stakeholders, are published every quarter and this information can be accessed on the Gov.uk website via the following link: Transparency and freedom of information releases - GOV.UK

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to balance safety considerations with efficiency requirements in Great British Railways’ statutory duties.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

GBR’s general duties, including the duty to ensure efficient use of taxpayers’ money, will not negate GBR’s statutory obligations under the safety regime. The Railways Bill will not change the safety regime from the existing model that keeps the travelling public and workers safe, a regime that is well understood, that works and has made Britain’s railways one of the safest in Europe.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance she plans to issue on Great British Railways’ responsibilities for (a) national ticketing, (b) fare setting and (c) the administration of discount schemes for (i) young, (ii) elderly and (iii) disabled passengers.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government's response to the Railways Bill consultation has confirmed plans for the future of the rail retail market once Great British Railways (GBR) is established. It also set out GBR's and the Secretary of State's roles in relation to fares setting, and the continued safeguarding in legislation of discount schemes for young people, older people and disabled people. This is an important step in providing further clarity on how ticketing and fare setting will operate under GBR, and the Government looks forward to continuing to work with all stakeholders on the delivery of its reforms.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2025 to Question 73726 on Passenger Standards Authority, what is her expected timetable for the delivery of the Passenger Watchdog.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The passenger watchdog will be stood up as soon as practicably possible following Royal Assent for the Railways Bill.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential environmental impact of proposed rail network expansion under the Railways Bill.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Railways Bill does not propose any additional network expansion. However, the environmental impact of any future network expansion would be considered during development of such a proposal as per the legal requirements for such projects

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of track access charges for operators outside Great British Railways following the implementation of the Railways Bill on applications for (a) new and (b) renewed access rights.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government is fundamentally reforming the track access charging framework by transferring the responsibility for who sets charges from the ORR to GBR. This is so the body who maintains the infrastructure (GBR) will be able to set charges appropriately to recover those costs associated with running services on its network.

Regarding existing rights, the charges already in place will be honoured for the current control period (until April 2029).

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her planned timeframe is for establishing the Passenger Standards Authority.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

As the Government has announced, Transport Focus will be strengthened to become the Passenger Watchdog. It will continue its operations throughout the transition period and can start building up its capability shortly after the Railways Bill receives Royal Assent. We expect the watchdog will be fully established with all of its new powers within 12 months of this.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to publish a (a) draft licence for Great British Railways and (b) consultation on the licence terms.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Under the 1993 Railways Act, the Department is required to publish and consult on a draft licence, and this will not change with the Railways Bill. We intend to consult on the draft GBR licence during the Bill Passage. This will give interested parties the opportunity to share their views on the proposed contents. Further details will be made available in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to retain the rail freight growth target of 75% growth in freight carried by rail by 2050; and whether she plans to (a) put that target on a statutory footing, (b) introduce interim milestones and (c) adopt regional targets.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government recognises that the economic and environmental potential of rail freight is significant and is committed to the target of at least a 75% increase in freight moved by rail by 2050. The recently published draft Railways Bill sets out a duty on the Secretary of State to set a growth target and for GBR to have regard to it.

The Secretary of State is currently considering whether to set interim targets for 2040 and what those targets will be.

In addition, Network Rail has the target of a 7.5% increase in rail freight growth by the end of March 2029.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of inaccessible (a) public transport and (b) streets on disabled people seeking employment.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government recognises the importance of accessible streets and public transport to enable disabled people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity, including ensuring they can access and sustain employment opportunities. As part of our broader mission to break down barriers to opportunity, we recognise that more needs to be done to ensure transport is accessible to all. The Government welcomed the findings of the Transport Select Committee’s report on improving accessibility across the transport network, and we are committed to driving change.

Local authorities are responsible for the design, management and maintenance of their streets. It is for them to ensure they carry out these functions in a way which takes account of the needs of everyone, and complies with the Public Sector Equality Duty. The Department has published good practice guidance on this in ‘Inclusive Mobility: A Guide to Best Practice on Access to Pedestrian and Transport Infrastructure, available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/inclusive-mobility-making-transport-accessible-for-passengers-and-pedestrians.

In December last year, the government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill which includes a comprehensive package of measures to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of local bus services. We have also confirmed over £1 billion for 25/26 to support and improve bus services and keep fares affordable, including £712 million for local authorities. Local authorities can use this funding in whichever way they wish to deliver better services for passengers, including improving the accessibility of bus infrastructure.

The government also has ambitious plans to reform the rail sector, unifying track and train under one organisation. The cornerstone of the Government’s plan for rail reform is to establish Great British Railways (GBR), a publicly owned arm’s length body charged with running Britain’s railways in the public interest. Accessibility is one of the Government’s six priorities for the railway and will be central to GBR. To support this, the Railways Bill includes legal requirements relating to accessibility that will ensure that the interests of passengers, including those with accessibility needs, will be a fundamental part of decision-making on the railways. We will shortly publish an Accessibility Roadmap for rail that sets out the actions we are taking to deliver a more accessible railway.

We are also committed to developing an Accessible Travel Charter. The charter is a commitment to a shared vision for accessible travel. It will aim to set out what disabled travellers can expect from their journeys and what to do when standards aren’t met, share best practice across organisations and create consistency in end-to-end journeys for disabled travellers.

All of these measures and many more projects and policies within the Department are aimed at making the journeys of disabled people more accessible and allowing them to travel as they need.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to support access to (a) public transport and (b) mobility schemes for people with epilepsy who are unable to drive.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The government wants everyone to have access to reliable and affordable public transport, and we appreciate how important this is for people who are unable to drive.

We are committed to improving bus services, so they are more inclusive and enable everyone to travel safely and confidently. In December last year, the government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill which includes a comprehensive package of measures to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of local bus services. From safer and more accessible bus stops and stations, to more comprehensive disability training for drivers and frontline staff and a new requirement for local authorities to regularly review the accessibility of their bus networks, the Bill will help ensure that local bus services better meet the needs of the communities who rely on them, including disabled people who are unable to drive.

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free bus travel in England, to those of state pension age and those with eligible disabilities between 9:30 and 23:00 on weekdays, and all day at weekends and bank holidays. Those who would, if they applied for a driving licence, have their application refused on the grounds of medical fitness, are eligible for an ENCTS bus pass.

The government also has ambitious plans to reform the rail sector, unifying track and train under one organisation. The cornerstone of the Government’s plan for rail reform is to establish Great British Railways (GBR), a publicly owned arm’s length body charged with running Britain’s railways in the public interest. GBR will be a new, publicly owned company with accountable, integrated leadership across track and train, sitting at the heart of the reformed rail sector. This will help drive a more consistent passenger experience ensuring a relentless focus on high performance and service standards for Britain’s railways.

Accessibility is one of the Government’s six priorities for the railway and will be central to GBR. To support this, the Railways Bill includes legal requirements relating to accessibility that will ensure that the interests of passengers, including those with accessibility needs, will be a fundamental part of decision-making on the railways.

We are already taking action ahead of the establishment of GBR to make rail travel easier and more reliable for disabled passengers, including investing over £10 million in upgrades to the Passenger Assist Scheme which supports disabled passengers and those with additional needs to use the rail network with confidence and in safety. We have improved information about the facilities available to provide support to passengers at stations and will be publishing a rail accessibility roadmap which sets out the actions we are taking to make the railway more accessible ahead of GBR being established.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Passenger Watchdog will be (a) responsible for issuing passenger performance standards, (b) involved in drafting and publishing those standards before Great British Railways becomes operational; and when she expects the Passenger Watchdog to go live.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government consulted on proposals for a railways bill, including the creation of a new passenger watchdog, earlier in the year. The Government response to this consultation will be published in due course and we expect to introduce legislation to establish the watchdog later in this parliamentary session. The watchdog would then become operational as soon as possible after the legislation receives royal assent.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that disabled people have access to all modes of public transport on every day of the week.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The government wants everyone to have access to accessible and reliable public transport every day of the week.

We are committed to improving bus services, so they are more inclusive and enable everyone to travel safely and confidently. In December last year, the government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill which includes a comprehensive package of measures to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of local bus services. From safer and more accessible bus stops and stations to more comprehensive disability training for drivers and frontline staff and a new requirement for local authorities to regularly review the accessibility of their bus networks.

In addition, the government has confirmed over £1 billion for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services and keep fares affordable, including £712 million for local authorities. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, protect crucial bus routes and make sure bus infrastructure is accessible.

The government also has ambitious plans to reform the rail sector, unifying track and train under one organisation. The cornerstone of the Government’s plan for rail reform is to establish Great British Railways (GBR), a publicly owned arm’s length body charged with running Britain’s railways in the public interest. Accessibility is one of the Government’s six priorities for the railway and will be central to GBR. To support this, the Railways Bill includes legal requirements relating to accessibility that will ensure that the interests of passengers, including those with accessibility needs, will be a fundamental part of decision-making on the railways.

We are already taking action ahead of the establishment of GBR to make rail travel easier and more reliable for disabled passengers, including investing over £10 million in upgrades to the Passenger Assist Scheme which supports disabled passengers and those with additional needs to use the rail network with confidence and in safety. We have improved information about the facilities available to provide support to passengers at stations and will be publishing a rail accessibility roadmap which sets out the actions we are taking to make the railway more accessible.

The Department also published the Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group’s independent report on 16 July 2025. The report sets out 19 recommendations to improve aviation accessibility across the consumer journey. The Group will continue its work to help industry to implement the recommendations.

We are also currently developing a plan for an Accessible Travel Charter which aims to empower disabled voices in establishing clear, unified principles that guide passengers, and assists operators and enforcement bodies in upholding accessibility standards. The Charter aims to set out what disabled travellers can expect from their journeys.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the provisions of the forthcoming Railways Bill will permit cross-subsidisation between publicly owned and delivered rail services.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Public Service Obligations in Transport Regulations 2023 allow public authorities to take into account the possibility of grouping cost-covering services with non-cost-covering services when determining what rail services should be provided by a public service operator (and what subsidy (if any) that should be provided to that operator). The forthcoming Railways Bill, due to be introduced into Parliament this session, aims to ensure continuity of this principle and will provide further clarity on the approach to subsidy control once Great British Railways is established and is responsible for all previously-franchised passenger services.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to reduce the use of railway replacement bus services under Great British Railways by improved planning of engineering works and by keeping at least one route open between principal points.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Government is committed to delivering a simpler, more accountable railway with clear responsibilities. The establishment of Great British Railways (GBR) will end years of fragmentation and will have a relentless focus on driving up standards for passengers.

GBR will have the independence and tools it needs to deliver improvements to rail services, and plan and run the railway on a long-term basis in the interest of its passenger and freight customers and taxpayers. The Railways Bill is due to go before Parliament in this parliamentary session and GBR is expected to be operational around 12 months after the Bill receives Royal Assent.

Prior to the establishment of GBR, train operating companies are responsible for the procurement, planning and setting of the timetable for rail replacement services and work with Network Rail to ensure that any rail replacement services are co-ordinated with any planned engineering work or other disruptions on the railway. We expect under GBR that operations will take maximum advantage of alternative routes where possible to minimise the use of rail replacement road transport.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what enforcement powers the Office of Rail and Road will retain once the Railways Bill is enacted; and in which circumstances her Department, will act as the primary regulator.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government is committed to delivering a simpler, more accountable railway with clear responsibilities. The design of the new system and the creation of Great British Railways will ensure that decisions are clear, robust and transparent. Key sector bodies, including the Secretary of State for Transport, the Chair and Board of Great British Railways, the Office of Rail and Road, and the new Passenger Watchdog, will all have an important role to play in keeping Great British Railways accountable. The Office of Rail and Road will continue to play a crucial role in the new sector providing independent monitoring and enforcement across key areas. More detail on the proposed roles for these bodies, including the role of the Office of Rail and Road in funding, licensing and track access, can be found in the consultation document ‘A railway fit for Britain’s future’. We will look to publish the formal Government response to the feedback we received on these proposals in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether rail ticketing software providers will be invited to tender to manage Great British Railways’ retail ticket sales.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Once Great British Railways (GBR) is established, it will retail online by consolidating individual train operators’ ticket websites. This will take place alongside a thriving private sector retail market, which will continue to play a key role in driving innovation and investment and encouraging more people to choose rail.

The Railways Bill consultation took place in the spring. As part of this process, the Government consulted closely with industry, the private sector, and wider stakeholders including in relation to the future of the rail retail market. A formal update will be provided in due course, and we will work closely with stakeholders to ensure transition plans are as smooth as possible.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have put in place to deliver a smooth transition of retail functions from train operating companies to Great British Railways.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Once Great British Railways (GBR) is established, it will retail online by consolidating individual train operators’ ticket websites. This will take place alongside a thriving private sector retail market, which will continue to play a key role in driving innovation and investment and encouraging more people to choose rail.

The Railways Bill consultation took place in the spring. As part of this process, the Government consulted closely with industry, the private sector, and wider stakeholders including in relation to the future of the rail retail market. A formal update will be provided in due course, and we will work closely with stakeholders to ensure transition plans are as smooth as possible.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how the nations and regions of Great Britain will be reflected in the governance structure of Great British Railways.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Railways Bill will include a statutory role for devolved governments and Mayoral Strategic Authorities in governing, planning, managing, and developing the railway under Great British Railways (GBR). We have had continuous proactive and productive engagement with Scottish and Welsh Government Officials and Ministers throughout the Bills development. This engagement will ensure that the Devolved Governments are represented within Great British Railways governance.

Great British Railways (GBR) will work collaboratively with devolved leaders and local stakeholders to ensure rail services meet local needs. Empowered local GBR business units will engage with devolved and local authorities on their priorities and strategies.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to consolidate online train ticket providers as part of her plans to bring train operating companies into public ownership.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Once Great British Railways is established, it will retail online by consolidating individual train operators’ ticket websites. This will take place alongside a thriving private sector retail market, which will continue to play a key role in driving innovation and investment and encouraging more people to choose rail.

The Railways Bill consultation took place in the Spring. As part of this process, the government consulted closely with industry, the private sector, and wider stakeholders including in relation to the future of the rail retail market. A formal update will be provided in due course and we will work closely with stakeholders to ensure transition plans are as smooth as possible.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions her Department has had with open access passenger service operators on the potential impact of the Railway Bill on their operating model.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

DfT officials have regularly engaged Open Access operators, alongside other stakeholders, to provide both updates regarding proposed reforms and to invite their feedback. This includes engagement around the recent consultation on the Railways Bill, and the Department is now considering the responses received.

It should also be noted that my Department remains committed to a role for Open Access in the reformed rail sector, providing competition to Great British Railways and choice for passengers. However, Open Access must genuinely add value and not simply inhibit the efficient operation of the network or divert revenue from existing operators – all of which are currently supported by the taxpayer in some form.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions her Department has had with freight operators on the potential impact of the Railway Bill on their operating model.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Rail Minister meets regularly with the freight operators and the Railways Bill has been a subject of discussion on a number of occasions. Details of Ministerial meetings with external organisations are published every quarter and this information can be accessed on the Gov.uk website via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministerial-transparency-data#meetings.

In addition, officials meet regularly with the freight operators and have provided updates on the Bill. There have also been workshops for operators on specific aspects of the Bill.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to provide an interim digital rail retail solution before (a) train operating company retail websites are turned off and (b) the new Great British Railways retail offer goes live.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Once Great British Railways is established, it will retail online by consolidating individual train operators’ ticket websites. This will take place alongside a thriving private sector retail market, which will continue to play a key role in driving innovation and investment and encouraging more people to choose rail.

The Railways Bill consultation took place in the Spring. As part of this process, the Government consulted closely with industry, the private sector, and wider stakeholders including in relation to the future of the rail retail market. A formal update will be provided in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to publish a (a) transition plan for the transfer of retail responsibilities from train operating company retail websites to Great British Railways and (b) timetable for formal market (i) consultation and (ii) tendering for future Great British Railways retail ticketing.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Once Great British Railways is established, it will retail online by consolidating individual train operators’ ticket websites. This will take place alongside a thriving private sector retail market, which will continue to play a key role in driving innovation and investment and encouraging more people to choose rail.

The Railways Bill consultation took place in the Spring. As part of this process, the Government consulted closely with industry, the private sector, and wider stakeholders including in relation to the future of the rail retail market. A formal update will be provided in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to publish a clear transition plan for the transfer of retail responsibilities from train operating company retail websites to Great British Railways; and whether they will also publish a timetable for formal market consultation and tendering for the Great British Railways online rail ticket retailing.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Once Great British Railways (GBR) is established, it will retail online by consolidating individual train operators’ ticket websites. This will take place alongside a thriving private sector retail market, which will continue to play a key role in driving innovation and investment and encouraging more people to choose rail.

The Railways Bill consultation took place in the Spring. As part of this process, the Government consulted closely with the industry, the private sector, and wider stakeholders, including in relation to the future of the rail retail market. A formal update will be provided in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether there will be an interim digital rail retail solution available before train operating company retail websites are turned off and before the Great British Railways online rail ticket retailing goes live.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Once Great British Railways (GBR) is established, it will retail online by consolidating individual train operators’ ticket websites. This will take place alongside a thriving private sector retail market, which will continue to play a key role in driving innovation and investment and encouraging more people to choose rail.

The Railways Bill consultation took place in the Spring. As part of this process, the Government consulted closely with the industry, the private sector, and wider stakeholders, including in relation to the future of the rail retail market. A formal update will be provided in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to establish Great British Railways, following the disbandment of the Great British Railways Transition Team in March 2025.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act was the first step towards fixing our railways, enabling the majority of services to be owned by and run for the public, but we need further fundamental reform to fix the underlying structural problems and put passengers and customers back at the heart of the railway.

Great British Railways (GBR) is set to be the ‘directing mind’ for the rail industry, bringing together the management of the network and the delivery of passenger services into a single public body. A design programme for GBR is underway, which is jointly run by the Department for Transport, DfT Operator and Network Rail.

We anticipate that GBR is to be set up over the following 12 months after the Railways Bill receives Royal Assent. The Bill is expected to be introduced later in this session.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill and her Department's document entitled English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, whether she will bring forward legislative proposals for (a) Mayors to have a statutory role in (i) governing, (ii) managing and (iii) planning railways, and (b) an option for Mayors to control local railway stations and (c) the right for Mayors to request rail devolution.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

These subjects will be addressed in the Railways Bill, to be introduced later in this parliamentary session, and with accompanying guidance on the right to request. Guidance will outline the process for Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities to make this request and the criteria that will be considered, such as national and regional network implications.

Found: Railways Bill 2024-26

Found: services from central government.95 The legislation for this is expected to be included in the Railways bill

Found: close as possible to local communities”.7 This power is expected to appear in the Great British Railways bill

Found: February 2025, the government held a consultation on new policies to be included in the forthcoming Railways Bill

Found: that make up the rail industry via the Railways Bill.

Found: Railways Bill

Found: . • The Railways Bill will include a passenger and accessibility duty in primary legislation to ensure

Found: including operating passenger services and managing network infrastructure in Great Britain • The Railways Bill

Found: To fix this, we will introduce a new Railways Bill to fundamentally reform the sector and establish

Found: We are pursuing this outside the Railways Bill and will consult on proposals in due course.

Found: To fix this, we will introduce a new Railways Bill to fundamentally reform the sector and establish

Found: The first step in changing the law about the railways is writing the Railways Bill.

Found: This document sets out the government’s response to the consultation on the Railways Bill – A railway

Found: transport and active travel, including through legislation such as the Bus Services Bill and Railways Bill

Found: public transport and active travel, including through legislation such as the Bus Services Bill and Railways Bill

Found: Today (5 November 2025), we have introduced the Railways Bill to Parliament.

Found: have published our consultation response: A Railway Fit for Britain’s Future and introduced the Railways Bill

Found: The Railways Bill, which will be laid in Parliament tomorrow, will create Great British Railways (GBR

Found: The Railways Bill, which will be introduced to Parliament later this year, will enable the establishment

Found: Infracapital Great British Rail Freight

Found: Richard Goodman 2025-04-09 Trainline Richard discussed the Railways Bill and the future of Trainline

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Found: overhaul of the fundamental rules, structures, and bodies that make up the rail industry via the Railways Bill

Found: that make up the rail industry via the Railways Bill.

Found: overhaul of the fundamental rules, structures, and bodies that make up the rail industry via the Railways Bill

Found: Railways Bill impact assessment - RPC opinion (green-rated)

Found: Railways Bill impact assessment - RPC opinion (green-rated)

Found: Q3 RAIL SECTOR TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMME DfT Government Transformation and Service Delivery The Railways Bill

Found: including terms and conditions, and to co-create the design of GBR ahead of implementation of the Railways Bill

Found: including terms and conditions, and to co-create the design of GBR ahead of implementation of the Railways Bill

Found: including terms and conditions, and to co-create the design of GBR ahead of implementation of the Railways Bill

Found: The Railways Bill, which will be introduced to Parliament later this year, will enable the establishment

Found: . • The Railways Bill will include a passenger and accessibility duty in primary legislation to ensure

Found: DfT) in London where we had a constructive discussion on rail reform, specifically the proposed Railways Bill