Overview

This Railways Bill proposes to bring all passenger rail franchises in England, Wales and Scotland under public control. Existing franchises will revert to the government upon renewal, and no new private franchises will be awarded.

Description

The bill mandates the Secretary of State to assume control of all passenger rail franchises upon renewal. This means that private companies currently operating these franchises will no longer do so once their contracts expire.

Key Provisions:

• Section 1: The Secretary of State will take control of existing franchises when they expire. They can also intervene earlier if deemed more efficient to transfer to a public body.
• Section 2: Repeals Section 25 of the 1993 Railways Act which permitted private franchises.
• Section 3: Allows the Secretary of State to make orders to amend the 1993 Act to reflect the changes and establish or nominate public bodies to manage the franchises.
• Section 4: Specifies that all costs associated with the bill will be met by the government.
• Section 5: Prohibits the award of new private franchises after the bill becomes law.
• Section 6: Provides the short title (Railways Act 2015), commencement date, and territorial extent of the bill.
• Devolved Administrations: The Scottish Government will nominate the public body for Scotrail services; and the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Welsh Assembly Government, will nominate a body for Wales and Borders services.

Government Spending

The bill will lead to increased government spending. The exact figures are not specified in the provided text, but it will cover all expenses related to the transition and operation of the rail services under public control.

Groups Affected

• Private Rail Franchise Companies: These companies will lose their contracts and the associated revenue.
• Passengers: May experience changes in service quality, fares, or operational aspects during the transition.
• Government: Will incur increased financial responsibility for the operation and upkeep of the railway network.
• Public Bodies: Will be responsible for managing the rail franchises and will need to be established or nominated to operate the services.
• Employees of Private Rail Companies: Job security could be impacted during the transition of ownership.

Powered by nyModel