Major shake-up needed ‘to end rail nightmare’

A RADICAL overhaul of Britain’s railways is needed to end ‘nightmare rail journeys’, according to a report.

Scrapping franchising, major fare reform and handing more control of services to city regions are among the recommendations made by the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT).

The pressure group also called for the creation of a publicly funded body to manage all aspects of rail planning.

It published the Future Of Rail report ahead of the 2.7 per cent average increase in Britain’s rail fares which comes into force next Thursday.

The Department for Transport is expected to publish a White Paper based on the review’s recommendations in the coming weeks.

CBT chief executive Darren Shirley said passengers have ‘suffered unreliable, expensive, overcrowded trains for too long’ as he urged the Government to ‘seize its chance to put an end to nightmare rail journeys’. He added that the railways must ‘change fundamentally’ to deliver potentially ‘huge’ economic, social and environmental benefits.

The CBT called for the fixed-term franchise system to be replaced by several models satisfying the different needs of passengers and communities. Paul Plummer, of the Rail Delivery Group, said the industry has long called for the ‘bold reform ’ recommended by the CBT.