Swindon South MP says train passengers will get “a powerful voice”
The government wants to “end decades of poor service”
The government has revealed plans to set up a new rail watchdog to give passengers a voice and be able to hold train operators to account.
They also want to make ticketing and fares less complex as well as sort out chaotic timetables and improve overall performance.
They are launching a consultation today (18 February) to get people’s opinions on their plans.
Heidi Alexander, Secretary of State for Transport and MP for Swindon South, said: “Passengers have put up with broken railways for far too long. This landmark reform will sweep away decades of failure, creating a Great British Railways passengers can rely on.
“We’re giving passengers a powerful voice with a new watchdog dedicated to addressing their biggest concerns, building railways people can trust, improving our services and boosting the economy in the process – the priority in our Plan for Change."
The new watchdog is set to work closely with the Transport Secretary and Great British Railways.
It will have the power to set standards for passengers regarding issues such as persistent problems and journey information and assistance.
On top of that, the watchdog will be able to publish reports on poor service and refer bad passenger experiences to the railway regulator.
Chair of Shadow Great British Railways, Laura Shoaf, added: “GBR will fundamentally change our railways, delivering growth, connections and opportunities across the country.
“The plans set out today will mean a better railway for everyone that uses it, allowing industry to work closer together, putting passengers and customers first and providing better value for money for taxpayers”.
This includes a Pay As You Go ticket that will allow passengers to travel more flexibly as well as improving reliability through the Public Ownership Act.
That way, the government is hoping to make train travel more attractive and boost the country’s economic growth while investing up to £150m a year into the railways rather than having to give it to private shareholders.
The consultation will be open for eight weeks.