Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their timetable for introducing legislation to establish Great British Railways; when they expect the organisation will be operational; and whether they expect to introduce intermediate arrangements with train operating companies until it is established.

Legislation to establish Great British Railways (GBR) will be introduced when the Parliamentary timetable allows. A confirmed date will be announced in due course.

In the interim, the GBR Transition Team has been mobilised by Andrew Haines, alongside his current role as CEO of Network Rail, fulfilling the Plan for Rail’s commitment to start interim arrangements immediately. The Transition Team will be responsible for driving forward reforms and creating the railway’s new guiding mind.

There is much we can do to deliver benefits to passengers ahead of legislation.   To this end, the transition from the Emergency Recovery Measures Agreements (ERMAs, introduced in September 2020) to new National Rail Contracts is underway. These contracts will strengthen and build on existing cooperation arrangements in the ERMAs and represent a ‘bridge’ to the new Passenger Service Contracts.