Lib Dems promise major changes
The Liberal Democrats say they will invest in electrification, shift freight from road to rail, support the takeover of Metro services in London by London Overground, and take Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) into public hands pending a longer-term plan, should they win the General Election on June 8.
The party was due to launch its manifesto shortly after this issue of RAIL went to press on May 17. Other policies the Liberal Democrats are planning include ensuring that new passenger franchises focus more on customers and invest in new stations, routes and modern trains. Public sector bodies and mutual groups will also be able to bid for franchises.
A Government-run company will take over GTR, with a long-term plan developed to find “more effective and sustainable ways of managing these franchises involving greater powers for local government”.
As well as further electrification of the rail network, the Lib Dems say they will reopen smaller stations, restore double-track to major routes that have been singled, and proceed with HS2, HS3 and Crossrail 2, with highspeed routes ultimately running to Scotland.
The Transport for the North strategy will be delivered, while in the South West (traditionally a Liberal Democrat stronghold) “more modern, resilient links to and within the South West peninsula” will be developed to “help develop and diversify the regional economy”.
East West Rail will be completed, and the Lib Dems appear to be backing Conservative Party aspirations to create a Rail Ombudsman. The party says it will also provide local authorities and communities with the powers to improve transport and ticketing, with the ability to introduce network-wide and smart ticketing systems.
Transport Spokesman Baroness Randerson said: “Labour wants to take Britain back to the ‘Dark Ages’, and their desire for widescale nationalisation of the rail is indicative of this, while the Conservatives have for more than a year sat idle while passengers suffer badly. We would commission a Governmentowned takeover of Southern and Thameslink as an emergency short-term measure, not a permanent solution. And we would allow far greater flexibility in who is able to bid for future franchises.
“The Rail Ombudsman is a key part of our plan for a more successful rail network, ensuring that passengers have someone fighting their corner when things go wrong and are not alienated by an over-complicated and failing system of refunds and compensation payments.”