‘No one in government’ is putting the needs of rail passengers and taxpayers first, with poor performance persisting across the rail network, according to the findings of a report by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
The report, which scrutinises the UK government’s programme of rail reform, claims that, in 2022-23, 13.7% of trains were delayed and 3.8% were cancelled.
Meanwhile, taxpayers reportedly continued to subsidise passenger rail services at a level that government considers unsustainable, at £3.1bn.
The report urges the government to demonstrate a sense of urgency in implementing rail reform, including addressing things that the PAC believes will make an immediate difference for passengers and taxpayers.
This includes engaging with the workforce expected to implement reforms on the ground, improving the punctuality and reliability of services, and taking action to improve accessibility to a rail network that is off limits to so many people.
The PAC – the body responsible for overseeing UK government expenditures and ensuring they are effective and honest – also alleges that the government has made little progress in implementing its plans for rail, with many of the proposed reforms and associated benefits now largely on hold until the next Parliament.
In particular, the PAC asserts that the government has not yet established Great British Railways (GBR), the new organisation intended to administer the entire British rail system, and which it originally planned to have set up by March 2024.
According to the report, delays to legislation have been a contributing factor, but there are also fundamental disagreements and issues that still need to be resolved on rail reform between the UK Department for Transport and HM Treasury.
This includes the extent of GBR’s role and responsibilities, including the level of independence it will have.
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