Labour have pledged to take every major train operating company back into public hands if they come into power at the next election
The party will announce today that every train operator will be taken back into public ownership within five years as the contracts with rail operators expire
The plans however do not include rail freight companies or rolling stock companies.
Labour said they would establish a new Passenger Standards Authority to hold the new public rail operator to account on behalf of passengers.
And they pledged to deliver a “best-price ticket guarantee” which would automatically give travellers the best prices for tickets, modelled on the system used by Transport for London, and for automatic delay and cancellation refunds.
Shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh said:
“With Labour’s bold reforms, a publicly owned railway will be single-mindedly focused on delivering for passengers and will be held to account on delivering reliable, safe, efficient, accessible, affordable and quality services.”
Mick Lynch, RMT Union general secretary said:
“Labour’s commitment to bring the train operating companies into a new unified and publicly owned rail network is in the best interests of railway workers, passengers and the taxpayer.”
