April 2025
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This conference focused on next steps for Britain’s rail network as the sector, its partners and customers prepare for the establishment of Great British Railways (GBR).
It brought together key stakeholders and policymakers to assess proposals in the recently published draft Rail Reform Bill, including priorities for Shadow Great British Railways and the creation of a unified arm’s length body to bring together network management and passenger service operations.
Delegates considered frameworks for the transition of powers to the new body, and for collaboration between Train Operating Companies, Network Rail and wider stakeholder groups, with a government consultation launched on next steps for GBR, as well as creation of a new passenger watchdog.
Areas for discussion included the way forward - both during the transition period and once GBR has been established - for accountability, including the relationship between the arm’s length body, government, and regional and devolved administrations, as well as balancing operational independence with long-term strategy and infrastructure priorities guided by the Secretary of State. Stakeholders considered decision-making mechanisms as the Rail Industry Association calls on the Government to expedite decisions on major projects that cannot wait until GBR is fully established.
Sessions assessed implications for the future of UK rail freight as it remains in the private sector. Delegates discussed open access and implementation of proposals for ensuring fair access for all freight operating companies and open access providers, as services and timetabling are eventually taken over by GBR. There was also discussion on the future role of open access alongside a publicly-owned railway and the potential requirement for ORR to apply more stringent tests for future open access services.
With the announcement that the first franchises will be transferred into public ownership in 2025 under the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act, delegates assessed how the transitional period of passenger services will be managed and its impact on the overall performance of the passenger railway. They explored practicalities such as integrated ticketing, looking at next steps beyond the initial transfer of service operations to DfT Operator and key considerations for eventual integration into GBR.
Planning for the replacing of Network Rail and bringing infrastructure management under GBR’s control was also discussed, alongside external engagement, and wider implications for passengers and the rail industry of the transition to GBR, as the Government launches an independent review into fare prosecution.
In anticipation of the 2025 spending review, delegates considered target areas for investment by the Government, following recognition by the Transport Secretary of ‘low levels’ of public spending on rail in Wales, looking at next steps for delivering rail connectivity projects committed to in the Budget, such as Northern Powerhouse, and the Transpennine Route Upgrade, in light of the cancellation of Phase 2 of HS2 and the Chancellor of the Exchequer recently committing to extending East West Rail to Cambridge.
Following the Rail and Urban Transport Review, sessions also looked at the possible scope and structures for public-private sector partnerships and how potential benefits might be achieved, as well as priorities for accelerating and optimising delivery of infrastructure projects. We also expected further discussion on wider issues impacting the rail industry, including next steps for implementing Network Rail’s CP7 delivery plan and potential implications of the ORR-led review into train operators’ revenue protection practices.
We are pleased to have been able to include keynote sessions with: Lucy Ryan, Director, Rail Reform, DfT; Peter Lovitt, Head, Track, Access and Charging Reform, DfT; John Larkinson, Chief Executive, ORR; Paul Harwood, Programme Director, Partners and Place, GBR Transition Team; and Prof Paul Plummer, Director, Centre for Rail Research and Education, University of Birmingham; and Lead, UK Rail Research and Innovation Network.
All delegates were able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those that attended include officials from DfT; MHCLG; DBT; ORR; Transport Scotland; UKIB; GLD; HoC Library; CCS; Homes England; and the Welsh Government.
