South Western Railway performance nosedives after nationalisation Transport and infrastructure Performance at South Western Railway has plummeted in the months since it became the first network to be brought under state ownership, piling fresh scrutiny on the government’s nationalisation drive just days after it announced the lines that will be taken public next. Delays and cancellations both rose sharply over the three months after it [...]
Here’s how to make sure Great British Railways stays on track Opinion If Labour must steam ahead with its plan to renationalise the railways, there’s a few things it must do to make it a success, says Emma Revell One of the least surprising and most ideologically consistent aspects of Labour’s first year in office has been the impetus behind Great British Railways. The new body, which [...]
Great British Railways risk repeating British Rail mistakes Transport and infrastructure Plans for the government’s flagship rail reform body, Great British Railways (GBR), risk reviving the failings of the past if urgent changes aren’t made, a leading think tank has warned. A new report from the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) cautions that the structure of GBR could stifle innovation, reduce accountability, and discourage competition, particularly [...]
Trainline shares tumble as further rail ticketing plans unveiled February 19, 2025 Trainline shares tumbled almost nine per cent on Wednesday as the government unveiled more details on how sweeping railway reforms will impact the ticketing sector. Great British Railway (GBR), the arms-length body that will oversee the UK’s railway system, is set to bring together individual train operator’s onto a single website. The Department for Transport [...]
Trainline on track for European expansion as state-backed rival nears January 28, 2025 The boss of Trainline has outlined his European expansion plans as the online ticket giant faces government-backed competition at home.
UK train ticket reform is long overdue, but we need smart data to power it January 24, 2025 Buying a train tickets shouldn't feel like getting out of a labyrinth. Utilising data in transport, like Manchester, could revolutionise our railways, writes Nigel Shadbolt.
London commuter slowdown dents growth at Great Western Railway and Heathrow Express operator December 3, 2024 Fewer London commuters slowed growth at the company behind Great Western Railway and the Heathrow Express, as delays and cancellations became more frequent during its latest financial year. First Great Western (FGW) has said that while the leisure market has “recovered strongly”, the number of commuters into London remain behind December 2019 levels despite have [...]
Renationalisation won’t get our railways back on track July 23, 2024 Slow, crowded and expensive, there’s no doubt our railways need a major overhaul – but it’s far from clear that Great British Railways is the answer, says Emma Revell One of the many delightful quirks of our democracy is the State Opening of Parliament, where the government’s legislative agenda for the coming session is set [...]
You think Britain’s railways are a mess? Take a look at Germany. July 15, 2024 Take a look around Europe and you'll find many of the continent's wealthiest countries also can't run a railway system properly.
What makes King’s Cross London’s best train station? Competition July 2, 2024 Passengers on the East Coast mainline enjoy fierce fare competition and a choice of routes, so why isn’t this successful model replicated elsewhere on the network? Asks Tony Lodge What makes King’s Cross unique among London’s train stations? Why do passengers who use the station rate most of its train services the very best in [...]