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Labour’s Plan to Overhaul Britain’s Broken Railways
Underinvestment, inefficiency, waste and 14 years of tinkering by Conservative Ministers has left our railways unfit to meet the demands of modern Britain.
For too long people in Luton have been let down by unreliable and inefficient train services, alongside crumbling railway infrastructure, including a long wait for accessibility improvements at Luton Station.
Under the Conservatives, Britain’s rail network is simply not delivering. Cancellations have soared to record high levels, fares have risen almost twice as fast as wages since 2010, whilst taxpayers fork out huge subsidies to private operating companies to pay for trains that are overcrowded, delayed, or cancelled.
But Labour has a plan. We will overhaul our broken railways, getting local train services back on track. In our first term in government, Labour would create Great British Railways – a new, publicly owned and expert-led body to run our railways, putting passengers first.
By folding private passenger rail contracts into Great British Railways as they expire, Labour will create a unified, nationalised rail network, this will bring down costs for taxpayers by eliminating fragmentation, waste, bureaucracy and by stopping profits leaking out to private operators. Alongside this we will establish a powerful new passenger watchdog, the Passenger Standards Authority, to hold Great British Railways to account for passengers.
Great British Railways will also deliver a best-price ticket guarantee, roll out automatic delay repay, and increase integration of timetables, ticketing, and fares.
We need a modern, integrated transport system supporting the flow of people and goods across the country to grow the economy and deliver public services fit for the future.
With Great British Railways, Labour will end the deepening crisis and chaos that passengers in Luton and across the country have been forced to endure. Instead, we’ll deliver reliable, accessible, and affordable train services, no matter where you live.
You can share your views or get in touch for help or advice by emailing me at rachel.hopkins.mp@parliament.uk