Great British Railways

And looking ahead to the sort of coming year, what are you most hopeful about? So it was really interesting hearing what you were saying, because there's a lot going on and much of it is hopeful.

We've got devolution, we've got Great British Railways, got lots of great work happening individually, particularly

on buses and active travel as well.

Is

It would also be a step towards stopping the corporate raiding of our rail system, controlling costs and ultimately nationalising our railing stock as part of an integrated publicly owned railway.

We will be campaigning for this position through amendments to the Great British Railways Bill when the legislation begins in the Lords after summer recess.

And this will be a key union demand in the forthcoming budget.

Now, I should just say we've not validated any of those numbers.

Uh, in British Rail, uh, I guess this sort of incident would have been referred to by the Secretary of State with a comment along the lines of, "Well, this is an operational matter for British Rail.

Um, I'm appalled at what British Rail have failed to do here and there, uh, but it is an operational manager matter for British Rail." Uh, I think we're waiting to see the maturity of the relationship between GBR and ministers.

Uh, I've seen it elsewhere in Wales and in Scotland, um, and ministers do want to be very hands-on.

They want to appear to be available at a moment's notice at the, at the weekend, um, in the evenings, taking personal charge of, of sending the, the engineers in from Network Rail to find the power cut and things like that.

Um, I think these things have got to mature, uh, but if GBR is to operate at arm's length, the, the politicians will need to lear- need to learn to, uh, say that this is an operational matter for GBR and, and not something that they're gonna personally direct.

Yeah.

Look, I, I understand that.

Here's a fascinating story [laughs] that really does beggar belief.

I think

the key investment thesis comes down to when Great British Railway is all set up and all operational by October 2027, if that actually does happen.

But it looks as though all the TOCs, the train operating companies, are rolling into that.

But let's assume that timetable does happen.