There has been too little focus on passengers and taxpayers and how to get them a better deal. The Department claims that improving passenger experience is at the heart of its reform plans, but poor performance persists across the rail network. In 2022–23, 13.7% of trains were delayed and 3.8% were cancelled. While the Department is fully aware of what is important to passengers, it has not delivered on the basic things that matter most. Taxpayers also continue to subsidise passenger rail ser...

There has been too little focus on passengers and taxpayers and how to get them a better deal. The Department claims that improving passenger experience is at the heart of its reform plans, but poor performance persists across the rail network. In 2022–23, 13.7% of trains were delayed and 3.8% were cancelled. While the Department is fully aware of what is important to passengers, it has not delivered on the basic things that matter most. Taxpayers also continue to subsidise passenger rail services at a level that the Department considers unsustainable (£3.1 billion in 2022–23). It is disappointing to hear that it took a pandemic to make the D Type: recommendation | Number: 2 | Response status: accepted Government response: The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. structure for the railways, alongside passenger train services under public ownership, with the objective of providing improved services for passengers and better value for money for taxpayers. This model w