Recommendation 20

We asked the Department for its views on the current commentary around GBR and the balance between it acting as a guiding or directing mind. The Department said it is important to find the right balance between the guiding mind who is guiding but also who is prepared to stand up and take the accountability to fix those things. Network Rail’s view was that, in an increasingly devolved United Kingdom, the idea of a central, directing mind telling people in Scotland, Wales, London and other mayoral authorities what sort of rail service they can have would not be acceptable.44