MPs Voice Frustration Over Lack of Clarity on Great British Railways Plans

Members of Parliament have expressed strong concern over the slow progress and limited transparency surrounding the government’s plans for a state-owned railway.

Key details about the proposed Railways Bill and the creation of Great British Railways (GBR)—intended to merge train operators with Network Rail—remain unclear.

After a hearing of the Commons Transport Select Committee last week, chair Ruth Cadbury said that several “pieces of the puzzle” are still missing. Committee member Rebecca Smith added that MPs were “gobsmacked” that ministers and officials have yet to move beyond the broad concept of renationalisation and provide details on how GBR will function, 18 months after Labour took office.

During the session, MPs from all parties grew visibly frustrated with responses from Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill, the Rail Minister and former Network Rail chairman, and Jeremy Westlake, Network Rail’s current chief executive. Little clarity was offered regarding GBR’s future corporate structure, regional devolution, or how accountability to the public—and to the Secretary of State for Transport—will be maintained.

Hendy, along with senior Department for Transport officials Richard Goodman and Lucy Ryan, were also unable to clarify targets for performance, passenger growth, or funding and spending for GBR. Questions about the ongoing independence and regulatory authority of the Office of Rail and Road were similarly left unanswered, raising concerns about oversight of the new body.

Cadbury, Labour MP for Brentford & Isleworth, stated: “Having questioned the rail minister at some length, the transport committee is clear that we are still some way off seeing the full picture on the government’s plans to reform the rail sector.” She noted that MPs are still awaiting publication of key documents, including a new licence outlining GBR’s parameters.

Smith, Conservative MP for South West Devon, highlighted the scale of the challenge: “GBR is set to become one of Britain’s largest employers, and the transition to state control will be incredibly complex. Yet there is still confusion over how this national body, which is meant to be regionally devolved, will operate.”

Although the officials spoke about the Railways Bill providing a “long-term strategy” for the industry, they were unable to define what “long-term” entails or whether such a strategy would withstand changes in ministers, policies, or future governments.