24 April 2026
Commenting on the Government’s response to the Transport Select Committee’s Report on the Railways Bill, Railway Industry Association Chief Executive Darren Caplan said: "The Railway Industry Association (RIA) and our members will welcome the Government’s commitment to provide clarity and further details to the industry in the run up to the establishment of Great British Railways, in Autumn 2027.
“However, we regret that the Government insists that Ministerial directions are still necessary in the draft Railways Bill. Such an intervention instrument for future Ministers risks undermining already-agreed investment, and the certainty of future funding which the railway industry and its supply sector desperately need to both plan their businesses and give the best value for money possible for the taxpayer. Any directions should, at the very least, be assessed and reviewed for impact by the regulator, and this is not clearly provided for in the Bill.
He concluded: “Also, in the absence of committing to a passenger target, GBR should undertake to publish passenger growth forecasts as these can be used as the basis for capacity allocation planning to support GBR’s business plan and meet future passenger demand. The Steer report, which RIA Commissioned in 2024, shows passenger numbers growing at the high end of the 37% to 97% increase by 2050 against pre-Covid levels already, with the DfT’s own passenger level data showing well over 100% of pre-pandemic levels too on a regular basis – this is a good basis for GBR to now conduct its own work on this.”