A massive increase in the cost to the public purse of rail services has not been matched by the transparency necessary to scrutinise the sector, according to MPs.
The government has pre-empted the publication of its independent review of rail transport by announcing the end of rail franchising after almost 25 years.
The Department for Transport’s rail franchising model is “broken”, the Public Accounts Committee concluded in a report looking at two major franchises.
MPs have called for significant reforms to the rail franchising system including how contracts are managed, following high-profile disputes on the Southern network.
Labour’s shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald has accused the government of clinging to a failed privatisation model for running the rail network and pledged to take services into public...
Transport for London is set to take over rail services in the capital from four private sector franchise operators under a plan agreed with government ministers.
The Department for Transport has improved its management of rail franchises following the collapse of West Coast intercity deal in 2012, but new risks are emerging due to delays and the rising costs...
A leading rail operator has called for the current franchise system to be scrapped on some lines and replaced with licensing regime that could raise money for taxpayers.
Labour plans to accelerate the nationalisation of rail services by using break clauses in franchises to take operations into public ownership rather than waiting until the contracts expire.
