Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 18
18
Department and HM Treasury fundamentally disagreed on GBR's remit, independence, and commercial model from the outset.
Conclusion
The Department intended that Great British Railways (GBR) would act as the ‘guiding mind’ for the railways, with responsibility for the whole rail system.40 But the Department and HM Treasury disagreed on key areas of rail reform from the start, including GBR’s remit and level of independence, the extent to which it or the private sector should set fares and services, and views on how best to maximise rail revenue and manage costs.41
Government Response
A response document is linked to this report, dated 11 July 2025. Response attribution to this conclusion has not been verified. Read the response document ↗