Railways Bill

Transport Committee Open Inquiry
Opened: 5 Nov 2025 Parliament page
The Government has introduced the Railways Bill to Parliament to legislate for its commitment to unify network operations with infrastructure management under a single organisation – Great British Railways. The Bill is expected to go through ‘line by line’ scrutiny by a Public Bill Committee, which is separate to the … Read more
22 Recommendations
11 Conclusions
1 Report
4 Oral sessions
5 Letters
4 Events
Activity timeline 15 events
24 Apr
2026
Report published
10 Feb
2026
Report published
28 Jan
2026
Correspondence
7 Jan
2026
Oral evidence
7 Jan
2026
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
17 Dec
2025
Oral evidence
17 Dec
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
10 Dec
2025
Oral evidence
10 Dec
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
4 Dec
2025
Correspondence
26 Nov
2025
Oral evidence
26 Nov
2025
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 4 sessions
7 Jan 2026
View on parliament.uk
Jeremy Westlake · Network Rail Lucy Ryan · Department for Transport Richard Goodman · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities The Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill CBE · Department for Transport
17 Dec 2025
View on parliament.uk
Bill Reeve · Transport Scotland Fiona Hyslop MSP · The Scottish Government Jamie Ross · Liverpool City Region Jason Prince · Urban Transport Group Mal Drury-Rose · West Midlands Rail Executive Peter McDonald · The Welsh Government
10 Dec 2025
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Alex Campbell · Transport Focus Alex Robertson · Transport Focus Anthony Smith · Independent Rail Retailers Ben Plowden · Campaign for Better Transport David Pitt · SilverRail Technologies UK Ltd Emma Vogelmann · Transport for All John Davies · Trainline Sue Sharp · Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee
26 Nov 2025
View on parliament.uk
John Larkinson · Office of Rail and Road Maggie Simpson OBE · Rail Freight Group Nick Brooks · AllRail Stephanie Tobyn · Office of Rail and Road Steve Montgomery · FirstRail
Title HC No. Published Items Response
8th Report - Railways Bill HC 1472 10 Feb 2026 33 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
3 results
Clear
20 Recommendation Not Addressed
8th Report - Railways Bill
Add Passengers' Council Chair to posts requiring pre-appointment parliamentary committee hearings.
To enhance and help safeguard the independence of the Passengers’ Council, we recommend that the Chair of its board be added to the list of posts for which our Committee is expected to hold a pre-appointment hearing with the Government’s … Read more
Government Response
The government's response discusses working with local leaders through GBR business units and MSAs, but fails to address the recommendation to add the Passengers’ Council Chair to the list of posts for pre-appointment hearings.
Department for Transport
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28 Recommendation Not Addressed
8th Report - Railways Bill
Amend the Bill to clarify capacity duty only applies post-infrastructure plan development.
While the Government insists that the intended relationship between clause 60 and clause 63 is clear, multiple stakeholders disagree. The Bill should be amended to make it clear that the capacity duty does not apply until after an infrastructure capacity … Read more
Government Response
The government disagrees that the Bill needs amending and will instead provide additional clarity which Ministers would be happy to repeat on the floor of the House to reassure stakeholders and the Committee alike; clause 63 duty does not apply at that stage.
Department for Transport
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31 Recommendation Not Addressed
8th Report - Railways Bill
Require GBR to enter mayoral partnerships and give weight to MSA local transport plans.
Mechanisms in the Bill comprising the new statutory role for Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs) could risk being too subject to goodwill. GBR should be required to enter into mayoral partnerships when requested to do so by an MSA whose request … Read more
Government Response
The government disagrees with the Committee that the Bill needs to be amended, legislation is not needed to ensure engagement with local leaders on the Long-Term Rail Strategy and the Bill is clear that GBR must have regard to Local Transport Plans of MSAs.
Department for Transport
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Government Response AI assessment · 33 of 22 classified
Accepted 4
Accepted in Part 14
Acknowledged 6
Deferred 1
Not Addressed 3
Rejected 5
Total 22 recs + 11 conclusions
Correspondence 5 letters
28 Jan 2026 To committee Letter from the Minister for Rail, Department for Transport relating to the Railways Bill, dated 21 January 2026
Parliament page
4 Dec 2025 To committee Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Welsh Government relating to the Railways Bill, dated 26 November 2025
Parliament page
26 Nov 2025 To committee Letter from the Leader of the House relating to the passage and scrutiny of the Railways Bill, dated 11 November 2025
Parliament page
12 Nov 2025 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State for Transport relating to the introduction of the Railways Bill, dated 5 November 2025
Parliament page
30 Oct 2025 To committee Letter from the Chair of the Committee to the Leader of the House relating to the Rail Reform Bill, dated 28 October 2025
Parliament page