Labour pledges to renationalise railways

Written by David Fletcher 25 Apr 2024
Labour pledges to renationalise railways

Labour has announced plans to renationalise the railways within five years if elected, aiming for the 'biggest overhaul to our railways in a generation’. According to shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh, the transition to public ownership would occur within the party's first term by incorporating expiring private passenger rail contracts into a new entity, avoiding compensation costs to taxpayers. This entity would be a public, expert-led version of the Great British Railways (GBR), differing from the Government’s plan which also involves establishing a new public sector body. Labour aims to deliver reliable, efficient, and quality services which would benefit the economy, taxpayers, passengers, and railway staff, while still allowing private sector roles.

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