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| Chris Grayling to unveil plans for new fully privatised railway line | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The government is to unveil plans for a fully privatised railway line, with track and trains operated by the same company. | The government is to unveil plans for a fully privatised railway line, with track and trains operated by the same company. |
| A new route linking Oxford and Cambridge will not be developed by Network Rail, the owner of Britain’s rail infrastructure. Instead, a new entity will be responsible for track and infrastructure, as well as operating train services, under proposals drawn up by the transport secretary, Chris Grayling. | A new route linking Oxford and Cambridge will not be developed by Network Rail, the owner of Britain’s rail infrastructure. Instead, a new entity will be responsible for track and infrastructure, as well as operating train services, under proposals drawn up by the transport secretary, Chris Grayling. |
| In a keynote speech on Tuesday, Grayling will outline how the government plans to “put the passenger at the heart of delivery” in rail by reuniting the operation of tracks and trains, which are currently the respective responsibility of publicly owned Network Rail and private train operating companies (TOCs). | In a keynote speech on Tuesday, Grayling will outline how the government plans to “put the passenger at the heart of delivery” in rail by reuniting the operation of tracks and trains, which are currently the respective responsibility of publicly owned Network Rail and private train operating companies (TOCs). |
| While officials at the Department for Transport have disputed reports that Grayling is seeking more immediate challenges to Network Rail, unions pledged to fight the proposed changes. | While officials at the Department for Transport have disputed reports that Grayling is seeking more immediate challenges to Network Rail, unions pledged to fight the proposed changes. |
| Rail privatisation has consistently polled as deeply unpopular with supporters of all parties, and privately owned Railtrack’s management of the track and infrastructure from 1994 to 2002 remains associated with fatal train crashes including Potters Bar and Hatfield. | Rail privatisation has consistently polled as deeply unpopular with supporters of all parties, and privately owned Railtrack’s management of the track and infrastructure from 1994 to 2002 remains associated with fatal train crashes including Potters Bar and Hatfield. |
| Despite this, Grayling hopes the restored Oxford to Cambridge line, axed following the Beeching cuts in the 1960s, will be the first integrated rail operation in Britain since privatisation in the 1990s. | Despite this, Grayling hopes the restored Oxford to Cambridge line, axed following the Beeching cuts in the 1960s, will be the first integrated rail operation in Britain since privatisation in the 1990s. |
| Funding towards restoring the rail link between the two cities, on a route that will have a branch to Milton Keynes, and eventually extend to Norwich and Ipswich, was announced in the autumn statement last month. | Funding towards restoring the rail link between the two cities, on a route that will have a branch to Milton Keynes, and eventually extend to Norwich and Ipswich, was announced in the autumn statement last month. |
| An East West Rail organisation will be created to secure investment and build the line, eventually becoming a private company that will operate train services. | An East West Rail organisation will be created to secure investment and build the line, eventually becoming a private company that will operate train services. |
| In the meantime, Grayling will demand that Network Rail and TOCs work closer together in the interests of passengers, with proposals for more such “vertical integration” to be built into the upcoming South Eastern and East Midlands franchises (pdf). | In the meantime, Grayling will demand that Network Rail and TOCs work closer together in the interests of passengers, with proposals for more such “vertical integration” to be built into the upcoming South Eastern and East Midlands franchises (pdf). |
| Grayling will say: “I believe it will mean they run better on a day-to-day basis … Our railway is much better run by one joined-up team of people. They don’t have to work for the same company. They do have to work in the same team.” | Grayling will say: “I believe it will mean they run better on a day-to-day basis … Our railway is much better run by one joined-up team of people. They don’t have to work for the same company. They do have to work in the same team.” |
| A lack of communication and shared incentives between track and train operators has been identified as one factor in the long-running problems at Southern, the commuter network to the south of London, which has been plagued by delays and cancelled services. | A lack of communication and shared incentives between track and train operators has been identified as one factor in the long-running problems at Southern, the commuter network to the south of London, which has been plagued by delays and cancelled services. |
| In September, Grayling appointed Chris Gibb to run a board with a £20m fund to ensure rail maintenance worked in tandem with Southern’s train operations. | In September, Grayling appointed Chris Gibb to run a board with a £20m fund to ensure rail maintenance worked in tandem with Southern’s train operations. |
| The RMT general secretary, Mick Cash, said the government was “dragging the railways back to the failed and lethal Railtrack model”. | The RMT general secretary, Mick Cash, said the government was “dragging the railways back to the failed and lethal Railtrack model”. |
| “The idea that what Britain’s railways need is more privatisation is ludicrous,” he said. “The introduction of the profit motive into infrastructure raises again the spectre of Hatfield and Potters Bar, and the other grotesque failures that led to the creation of Network Rail.” | “The idea that what Britain’s railways need is more privatisation is ludicrous,” he said. “The introduction of the profit motive into infrastructure raises again the spectre of Hatfield and Potters Bar, and the other grotesque failures that led to the creation of Network Rail.” |
| The general secretary of the train drivers’ union Aslef, Mick Whelan, said: “The failures and tragedies of the Railtrack era remind us that infrastructure should never be run for profit. I’m concerned that in 2016, [Grayling] is seriously considering a return to one of the darkest times in the history of Britain’s railways.” | The general secretary of the train drivers’ union Aslef, Mick Whelan, said: “The failures and tragedies of the Railtrack era remind us that infrastructure should never be run for profit. I’m concerned that in 2016, [Grayling] is seriously considering a return to one of the darkest times in the history of Britain’s railways.” |
| The idea of alliances between TOCs and Network Rail had been tried recently without success, Whelan said. “What he is proposing is a desperate, half-baked reform that will only add another layer of unnecessary complexity to the rail industry.” | The idea of alliances between TOCs and Network Rail had been tried recently without success, Whelan said. “What he is proposing is a desperate, half-baked reform that will only add another layer of unnecessary complexity to the rail industry.” |