Great British Railways: Replaces Network Rail & more changes - updates only (non-speculative)

[ashkeba]

Wasn't GB Railways bought by FirstGroup? GBR Group Limited is still an active company and parent of East West Rail Limited.

 

[JonathanH]

Best news I've heard in my 22 years on the railway. Now maybe I'll get my free travel back that I had to hand back when I moved from Central Trains to Railtrack (and then NR)

Something suggests to me that that is unlikely.

One thing this very much won't be is the return to 'one railway' as far as staff employment is concerned. The operational staff of TOCs will continue to be employed by the 'private sector'.

 

[dk1]

Wasn't GB Railways bought by FirstGroup? GBR Group Limited is still an active company and parent of East West Rail Limited.

Yes. Quite liked working for GB Railways under the Anglia Railways banner.

 

[Iliketrains123]

Good to see electrification got mentioned

Yeah but everyone is talking about branding. Gotta focus on the important things.

 

[JaJaWa]

The BBC article now says:

The government says the new system should look more like Transport for London, with multiple operators under one brand.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-57176858

 

[daodao]

I presume that this proposed reorganisation, with direct state control of what passenger rail services are run and ticket prices, has only been possible as the UK is no longer a member of the EU, given their policy on rail competition.

 

[johncrossley]

I presume that this proposed reorganisation, with direct state control of what passenger rail services are run and ticket prices, has only been possible as the UK is no longer a member of the EU, given their policy on rail competition.

The actual services will be still be run by private companies. As far as I know, whilst it is normal for some train services to be contracted out, all EU member states still have most services run by a state owned train company. Some EU member states still have no private operators.

 

[Dunfanaghy Rd]

Well, that's the passengers taken care of.
Did I miss any mention of freight in all the wordage? I do have this fear that the passenger mafia will get control, just as they did under BR.
Pat

 

[lordbusiness]

With the country being effectively skint following Covid where on earth is the money coming from to implement this?

Change isn't cheap. If they do go down the route of a rebrand across the whole network it will cost millions.

Haven't seen any word on who will lead it- although the the money is on the 2 H double act and I wonder where the RDG will sit in this, if at all?

 

[king_walnut]

With the country being effectively skint following Covid where on earth is the money coming from to implement this?

Change isn't cheap. If they do go down the route of a rebrand across the whole network it will cost millions.

Haven't seen any word on who will lead it- although the the money is on the 2 H double act and I wonder where the RDG will sit in this, if at all?

The "no magic money tree" thing only applies when Labour want to improve things for the people. When it's the Tories, there is definitely a magic money tree.

 

[TUC]

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

The current privatised system is broken. I can't help but shake the feeling, however, that they're leaving the broken bits alone, and 'fixing' the stuff that already works.

The bit that is broken is Network Rail. Overpriced, slow and inefficient. I can't see how GBR will change that.

 

[Masboroughlad]

Only skimmed so far. Will private companies run all trains in an area eg GWR or can companies bid for slots ie multiple operators could run GWR?

Noddy guide needed!

 

[Snow1964]

There are 2 links on DfT website now
as most of headlines are already mentioned in posts above based on press releases not going to quote these

[Withdrawn] #TheFutureIsFlexible: new era of rail travel arrives with new flexible season tickets

New national rail flexible season tickets announced as part of the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail, the biggest shake-up of rail in a generation.

www.gov.uk

Great British Railways: for the passenger

New public body Great British Railways to integrate the railways and deliver passenger-focused travel with simpler, modern fares and reliable services.

www.gov.uk

The journey to this new passenger-focused model has begun today. New National Rail Contracts will be announced this year. They will be in operation for 2 years and act as a bridge to reform.

 

[JaJaWa]

Mention of smaller companies running (for example) individual branch lines… I guess as GBR will take over many of the TOC functions this will be easier, but how many concessions do they expect to split the network up into!?

 

[tspaul26]

Unusual for something to be de-embargoed at 11 at night rather than 0800 or 0900!

Does anyone have a link to the actual report?

Has the report been bushed yet? If so, please can someone send a link here ASAP?

The report has been published and can be downloaded here

 

[CentralTrainer]

Shouldn’t the paper be called the Williams-Fox/Green Report?

 

[TUC]

The journey to this new passenger-focused model has begun today. New National Rail Contracts will be announced this year. They will be in operation for 2 years and act as a bridge to reform.

How is creating a single national monolith a 'passenger focussed model'?

A business dependant upon fares revenue and so desperate to attract more customers has far more chance of being passenger focussed.

 

[Trainer2]

The bit that is broken is Network Rail. Overpriced, slow and inefficient. I can't see how GBR will change that.

Hi,
There are many rumours and bits of information from union reps who attended the talks with NR

What is clear, NR mid negotiation walked away and refused to discuss job cut reduction any further

The main theories from the signalling world is -
Aside from the compulsory redundancies which are set for this summer/autumn (there is a headcount target per devolved region)., all NR remaining staff will have their contracts cease at the end of 2021.
They will be offered GBR contracts on different (worse) T&Cs.
NR have let slip in one of the negotiations they are taking a keen interest in how British Gas carried out their fire and re hire re-organisation.
TSSA are asking questions which consultancy NR are using for this re-org, it’s rumoured to be the same one British Gas had hired for advise.

One thing is certain, signalling world are set to strike and the frontline is happy to work to rule.
I have spoke with a good few NR staff in both worlds who are fed up with how the company has been ran badly.
No pay rise while working throughout Covid combined with the latest disaster re organisation called PPF (correct me if that is the wrong acronym) which created more senior management jobs and added more restrictions and bureaucracy.
The removal of red zone working also angered staff, now having to work more nights or in a green zone between trains making them less productive.
One gang told me they normally can patrol the area in 3 hours, now it takes all day as they have to take line blocks.

 

[Bald Rick]

Note a review into ‘ironing board seating’ and also to look into fewer ‘repetitious and annoying’ pre recorded announcements.

You see, people do read this forum

 

[Elshad]

In terms of social media accounts / domains I note that @GBR on Twitter is already taken by a record company, and gbr.co.uk is also taken by a placeholder. Although they could use a .gov.uk domain like tfl.gov.uk

 

[py_megapixel]

Note a review into ‘ironing board seating’ and also to look into fewer ‘repetitious and annoying’ pre recorded announcements.

You see, people do read this forum

I wouldn't be so optmistic - I'm yet to see any suggestion that the withdrawal of the 442s will be "reviewed"

 

[RobShipway]

Hi,
There are many rumours and bits of information from union reps who attended the talks with NR

What is clear, NR mid negotiation walked away and refused to discuss job cut reduction any further

The main theories from the signalling world is -
Aside from the compulsory redundancies which are set for this summer/autumn (there is a headcount target per devolved region)., all NR remaining staff will have their contracts cease at the end of 2021.
They will be offered GBR contracts on different (worse) T&Cs.
NR have let slip in one of the negotiations they are taking a keen interest in how British Gas carried out their fire and re hire re-organisation.
TSSA are asking questions which consultancy NR are using for this re-org, it’s rumoured to be the same one British Gas had hired for advise.

One thing is certain, signalling world are set to strike and the frontline is happy to work to rule.
I have spoke with a good few NR staff in both worlds who are fed up with how the company has been ran badly.
No pay rise while working throughout Covid combined with the latest disaster re organisation called PPF (correct me if that is the wrong acronym) which created more senior management jobs and added more restrictions and bureaucracy.
The removal of red zone working also angered staff, now having to work more nights or in a green zone between trains making them less productive.
One gang told me they normally can patrol the area in 3 hours, now it takes all day as they have to take line blocks.

Being someone that worked for the gas supply section (BG Transco) in the late 1990's after the splitting up of British Gas, there was many people made redundant by British Gas, who then turned up on contract to BG Transco for about two times the salary that they had at British Gas. I can see the same happening between Network Rail and Great British Railway!

As a side question, will Michael Portillo be Chief Executive...... Oops sorry getting confused with Great British Railway Journeys!

 

[alistairlees]

Note a review into ‘ironing board seating’ and also to look into fewer ‘repetitious and annoying’ pre recorded announcements.

You see, people do read this forum

Yes, that bit made me smile.

 

[Bigman]

Some belting piccies in that report, especially the Northern 170 on Knaresborough Viaduct.

 

[tetudo boy]

Great idea. Not so keen on the name though, could be better, but still.

 

[reddragon]

I wonder if Mr Portillo will have to rename his 'Great British Railway Journeys' programme

Ah that's where they got the name from!

 

[Iskra]

Have the railways just been nationalised?

 

[Intermodal]

Have the railways just been nationalised?

Not at all.

 

[zwk500]

Have the railways just been nationalised?

No more than they were already. The big change is that now the overall oversight is now mostly under 1 body, rather than split between several as was the case previously.

 

[mwmbwls]

HOUSE OF COMMONS: Sits from 9.30 a.m. kicking off with DCMS questions … then questions to the attorney general at 10.10 a.m. … any urgent questions at 10.30 a.m. … followed by a statement from Transport Secretary Grant Shapps on the government’s railways announcement at 11 a.m.-ish… then a debate on the restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster. - POLITICO

The Secretary of State will open the batting for the Government on this issue and no doubt play like an opening batsman for Yorkshire - not out there to score runs - but out there to make the opposition's bowlers tired. We should expect a more thorough examination when he comes up against the Transport Select Committee. To those who believe that sneaking the announcement out on a Wednesday and speaking on a Thursday when many MP's are in their constituencies is a sneaky ploy-"I can only respond with the House of Cards aphorism - "You might think that I could not possibly comment".