Recommendation 16

The Bill should be amended to include a duty on the Secretary of State to set a passenger journey growth target similar to the duty to set a freight growth target in clause 17. A target would incentivise commercially-minded improvements to services. This must not come at the expense of freight, which should be reflected in the Bill. Increasing passenger journeys will help achieve the Government’s aims to support growth and decarbonisation through connectivity and modal shift. It is also fundamental to the purpose of GBR—so seems an odd omission from the legislation. (Recommendation, Paragraph 47)