An overhaul of Britain's railways was long overdue even before Covid-19

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An overhaul of Britain's railways was long overdue even before Covid-19

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An overhaul of Britain's railways was long overdue even before Covid-19
Permanent abolition of old-style franchising was always the best bet. Now can we just get on with it?
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Re: An overhaul of Britain's railways was long overdue even before Covid-19

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Grant Shapps set to centralise control of Britain’s railways
The Government will use emergency coronavirus controls of the UK’s railways to centralise control of Britain’s railways, in a move comparable to nationalisation.

The Transport Secretary said the crisis had provided opportunities to establish a “different type of railway”, in a move that would mean the end of the franchise system established by John Major.

Train operators would receive a fixed fee from the Government which would essentially own all routes and collect fares.

Under the current system franchise holders collect fares and pay a percentage to the Exchequer, which encourages them to maximise income.

The entire system would be overseen by a board, which would likely be chaired by the Transport Secretary, giving the Government more control over pricing and timetabling...
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Re: An overhaul of Britain's railways was long overdue even before Covid-19

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Subsidy cut to put rail on track for state control
A slump in passenger numbers has left the rail industry bracing for full nationalisation...
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Re: An overhaul of Britain's railways was long overdue even before Covid-19

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‘Take it or leave it’ deals put rail on track for nationalisation
rain operators may be left with no choice but to let their networks be nationalised under “take it or leave it” deals offered by ministers.

Whitehall officials are understood to have contacted rail firms over the last week, offering new contracts called “Emergency Recovery Measures Agreements”...
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Re: An overhaul of Britain's railways was long overdue even before Covid-19

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ONS says UK rail has effectively been renationalised during pandemic
Train companies have been effectively renationalised on a temporary basis, the UK statistics body said on Friday, prompting a dispute between trade unions and private operators over rail ownership.

The coronavirus pandemic and lockdown forced the government to take emergency steps to prop up train companies by assuming the financial risk of rail franchises, after passenger numbers dwindled almost to nothing.

The Office for National Statistics has now written to the Treasury and the Scottish government to inform them of its decision to reclassify train companies as public non-financial corporations in the light of the measures.

The change, backdated to 1 April, means rail companies’ borrowing will be factored into ONS figures on public-sector borrowing and the number of state employees...
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