Sunday 13 October 2019 3:51 pm

Rail franchising model set to be scrapped by Boris Johnson

CORRECTION – The first new Elizabeth line train, a Bombardier Class 345 train, is seen at Shenfield station, east of London, on June 22, 2017 after coming into service on a TfL Rail route to Shenfield. Customers were today given their first chance to travel on the state-of-the-art trains that will serve the Elizabeth line when the new rail tunnels open through central London in December 2018. The train, part of a fleet of 66 that will operate on the new line, is now operating in passenger service between Liverpool Street and Shenfield on the TfL Rail route. / AFP PHOTO / ADRIAN DENNIS / The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by ADRIAN DENNIS has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [—] instead of [—]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it (them) to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require. (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images)

The UK’s rail franchising system is set to be drastically overhauled as early as next year.

Plans will be announced in tomorrow’s Queen’s Speech to scrap the current rail franchising model – where contracts are awarded to private companies to run commercial rail services – and replace it with a system based on “performance and reliability”, according to The Sunday Telegraph.

The speech is understood to include a commitment to publish a white paper that will use recommendations from an ongoing rail review by former British Airways chief executive Keith Williams.

Concrete proposals for a new model will not be revealed until this report is released, however one option reportedly being discussed is the concession model.

The concession model sees private companies being contracted to run the train lines, but with local authorities setting fares and timetables.

Bruce Williamson from advocacy group Railfuture said the group welcomed the news.

“We have for some time been an advocate for a change to the franchise system, because it’s been clear for a long time that it’s not working,” he said.

“We’ve been an advocate for a concession model for some time, but we’ll just have to wait and see what Boris Johnson comes out with.

“The devil is in the detail.”

However, the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) were less positive about the impending announcement.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said no one will be fooled by “this same meat, different gravy spin from Downing Street”.

“Private operation of our railways is incompatible with reliable and high quality services, lower fares and investment in infrastructure,” he said.

“We need a nationalised railway where quality, investment, planning and safety come first.”

Transport secretary Grant Shapps told The Sunday Telegraph that passengers deserve a “punctual, modern and reliable” railway.

“Our priority is ensuring we have reliable trains which run on time, delivering the outstanding services communities across the country rely on,” he said.