nationalisation

Feature

SWR returns to the public domain - but what difference will it make?

…but what difference will it make to services and passengers? Paul Clifton canvasses the opinion of rail leaders on SWR’s past, present and future.

Policy 10 Jun

Andy Bagnall, Chief Executive of Rail Partners. RAIL PARTNERS

Comment

Opinion: Moving fast on rail reform: but will things be fixed?

The government should not be blaming the private sector for all the problems the railway faces, says Andy Bagnall, Chief Executive of Rail partners.

Industry views 26 Sept

Comment

Opinion: Haigh launches Shadow GBR - but we’re still in the dark

Labour's nationalisation plan is driven by ideology, says Christian Wolmar, and it's unclear if and when it will solve the industry's problems.

Christian Wolmar 25 Sept

Olly Glover MP Didcot and Wantage (Liberal Democrat)

Comment

Guest Opinion: Our railway needs a lot more now than nationalisation

Sidestep the public vs private debate and focus more closely on better public transport, says the new Liberal Democrat MP Olly Glover.

Industry views 24 Sept

TransPennine Express 68023 Achilles stands at Doncaster on September 8 2022, on the rear of the 0926 Cleethorpes-Manchester Piccadilly test run. The ‘Nova 3s’ were withdrawn last year after the discovery of body cracks - a low point from which Wolmar says TPE has staged a recovery under the government’s Operator of Last Resort. KEITH PARTLOW.

Comment

Upturn in TPE’s fortunes is a good advertisement for public ownership

Christian Wolmar on the hard facts of renationalisation.

Christian Wolmar 13 Sept

News

Rail unions call for removal of profit motive

Britain’s trade union movement has called on the Labour government to expand publicly-owned freight operations and end the “profiteering” of rolling stock ownership companies.

Unions 9 Sept

Rail union members and campaigners call for nationalisation and public ownership of the railways in an Action for Rail campaign outside London Bridge station in 2016. How far the government is able to go with its nationalisation plans may well depend on the money available. ALAMY.

Comment

Analysis: will nationalisation best serve rail passengers?

Nationalisation is Labour’s special word for change in the way Britain’s railways are run, but what will it really mean? Howard Johnston investigates.

Industry views 6 Sept

Comment

Opinion: Train drivers' pay and impediments to recovery

Outdated working practices remain in train driver pay offer, says our Industry Insider.

Industry views 4 Sept

Avanti West Coast is the principal operator on the West Coast Main Line, and has submitted five different bids for extra train paths as it seeks to return services that were withdrawn during COVID. But it faces competition from a posse of open access operators. AWC 805005 approaches Rugeley Trent Valley on May 10, during a Class 805 ‘Evero’ test run. ALAMY.

News

Rail nationalisation bill clears first hurdle in the Commons

Eventual rail nationalisation moved one step closer to reality as the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill cleared its first hurdle as MP’s voted 351 to 84 to give the bill a second reading on 30 July.

nationalisation 30 Jul

News

Further details on rail reform emerge

More detail and reaction on what to expect from the government’s rail reform has emerged. The King set out planned reform to the railways in the state opening of parliament yesterday (July 17) with many of Labour’s manifesto pledges for rail reform included.

Rail reform 18 Jul

Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves talking on a train - 2024 - Alamy

News

King’s Speech promises laws to nationalise train operations and set up GBR

The King has just delivered his speech at the State Opening of Parliament, setting out the coming year’s parliamentary agenda included laws to deliver the new Labour government’s railway policies.

Labour Party 17 Jul

TransPennine Express 802214 stands at Newcaste on Marche.res one of tour operators that remain under the control of the Department for Transport's Operator of Last Resort, with Labour pledging that others will follow as their contracts expire.

Comment

Labour’s rail reform plans remain a work in progress

Travel writer and broadcaster Christian Wolmar says what emerges in government may look different to the plan the party set out while in opposition.

Christian Wolmar 15 May

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Shadow Transport Secretary Louise Haigh meet workers at Hitachi’s Newton Aycliffe depot on April 25, the day Labour published its Getting Britain Moving plan

Comment

Can Labour’s rail plan deliver a better railway?

On April 25, the Labour Party unveiled its plans for Britain’s railways if it forms the next government. Ben Jones analyses the chances of success

Industry views 8 May

News

Government axes rail franchising after 24 years

“The model of adopted 25 years ago has seen significant rises in passenger numbers, but this pandemic has proven that it is no longer working" - Shapps

21 Sept

News

Pacers to return to Manchester passenger route

Nationalised Northern to return Pacers to passenger service in Manchester area

23 Jun

News

COVER STORY: Change in operator won’t solve Northern’s problems

Underlying issues will remain even if Arriva is stripped of the Northern franchise says MD David Brown

6 Nov

News

EXCLUSIVE: Labour’s railway vision

Shadow Transport Secretary ANDY McDONALD shares with CONRAD LANDIN his thoughts on how a renationalised railway would take shape

6 Nov

News

Tom Harris report rejects Scottish rail nationalisation

Report by former rail minister Tom Harris rejects public ownership of Scotland's Railways

21 Aug

News

Nationalisation: “a dead-end argument”

MICHAEL HOLDEN explains why he believes a fully public railway won’t work, drawing on his experience as chairman of the Government-run East Coast service

26 Sept