Source · Select Committees · Transport Committee
8th Report - Railways Bill
Transport Committee
HC 1472
Published 10 February 2026
Recommendations
16
Rejected
Amend Bill to require Secretary of State to set a passenger journey growth target.
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
The government rejects the recommendation to include a duty on the Secretary of State to set a passenger journey growth target, arguing that GBR's existing duties already address this and will enable sensible decisions to target passenger growth across the network.
Department for Transport
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19
Rejected
Amend Bill to require ORR to act on Passengers' Council referrals within a timeframe.
Recommendation
The Passengers’ Council will be required by the Bill to protect passengers’ rights through monitoring operators’ compliance with its standards and receiving, considering and investigating complaints. It must be trusted to carry out that role. We consider it unlikely in …
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Government Response Summary
The government disagrees with amending the Bill to mandate GBR to enter into arrangements with Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs), stating that enabling arrangements provides flexibility and that legislation is not needed to ensure engagement with local leaders.
Department for Transport
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30
Rejected
Amend the Bill to allow freight operators broader appeal grounds for access decisions.
Recommendation
While the role of open access passenger services is a matter for debate, we note that it is the Government’s clear intention to promote greater freight use of the railway. The appeal mechanism for open access decisions set out in …
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Government Response Summary
The government disagrees with amending the Bill to give freight operators the ability to appeal access decisions to the Office of Rail and Road, stating that there is already a robust route of appeal to the ORR within the Bill and the ORR applying judicial review principles when it determines appeals is deliberate and essential.
Department for Transport
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Conclusions (2)
18
Conclusion
Rejected
The reliance of the Passengers’ Council on the Office of Rail and Road to take enforcement action could add complexity and delay to an already complicated system for complaints, enforcement and remedies, and we are concerned that an opportunity to streamline these elements of the railway could be missed. (Conclusion, …
Government Response Summary
The government disagrees with amending the Bill to require ORR to take action on referrals from the Passengers' Council, stating there's already a robust appeal route to the ORR and that the ORR needs a holistic view.
27
Conclusion
Rejected
We welcome the requirement in clause 17 for the Secretary of State to set a target to increase freight on the railways and the duty in clause 18(2)b. We note that the Government is aware of the risk that GBR would not otherwise have an incentive to grow rail freight. …
Government Response Summary
The government disagrees that the Bill needs amending to clarify the relationship between clause 60 and clause 63 and will instead provide additional clarity to reassure stakeholders.