Nesil Caliskan MP, Member of Parliament for Barking, has welcomed the Government’s plans to overhaul the rail network and put passengers first by bringing C2C rail services back into public ownership next year.
The Government announced today after the first major piece of legislation, the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act 2024, received Royal Assent, paving the way for a major shake-up of Britain’s railways.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “For too long, the British public have had to put up with rail services which simply don’t work. A complex system of private train operators has too often failed its users.
“Starting with journeys on South Western Railway, we’re switching tracks by bringing services back under public control to create a reliable rail network that puts customers first.
“Our broken railways are finally on the fast track to repair and rebuilding a system that the British public can trust and be proud of again.”
Nesil Caliskan MP, Member of Parliament for Barking, said: “Barking has been let down by unreliable services and a station that is not fit for purpose. Bringing train operators like C2C, which is owned by the Italian government, into Great British Rail will help deliver better, more reliable rail services for passengers.
“I welcome the news that C2C will be brought into public ownership given the current state of Barking station, which they have failed to respond to my concerns about in a letter I sent to them last month. We must now ensure the planned refurbishment of Barking station makes progress, so commuters have a station that is safe and accessible for reliable Great British Rail services to operate through.”
The transition to a publicly owned railway will drive up reliability and clamp down on unacceptable levels of delays, cancellations and waste seen under decades of failing franchise contracts. It will save up to £150 million a year in fees alone by ensuring every penny is spent on services rather than private shareholders.
