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Evidence

A Better Railway for Britain: A Report by Bring Back British Rail

1st October 2016 | Evidence

A Better Railway for Britain: Re-unifying our railways under public ownership

Bring Back British Rail’s first report A Better Railway for Britain: Re-unifying our railways under public ownership was launched in the Houses of Parliament in London on 13 October 2016.

Print copies are available to order in advance for just £5 (including free delivery in the UK), with all proceeds supporting campaign materials and activities.

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Your Views

  • The railway needs be back as one.

    Joanna Heap, Derby

  • Bring it back.

    Kay Davies, Nantwich

  • It’s time to get a proper train service back, instead of greedy investors taking the profits without putting any of the investment back into the network.

    Kevin Munden, Newark-on-Trent

  • Bring back BR and the age of the train.

    Enid Dalton, County Durham

  • I am not a believer in nationalisation unless it is an obvious choice. How else can a population which is now so diverse move across the country without cars?

    Christopher Morton, Durham

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Bring Back British Rail
2 weeks ago
Bring Back British Rail

We'll only get the full benefits of a publicly-owned railway if the Department for Transport & Heidi Alexander end the profiteering of rolling stock companies; invest in our railways and put people & planet at the heart of our new #GreatBritishRailways🚆🧍 We Own It @top fans ... See MoreSee Less

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Bring Back British Rail
3 weeks ago
Bring Back British Rail

🚆 We share the Association of British Commuters' concerns that Heidi Alexander has dropped the public interest duty of our new publicly-owned #GreatBritishRailways in order to preserve a role for private companies 🤦 Read more here & look out for our guide to the Department for Transport's consultation coming soon 👇 @top fans We Own It ... See MoreSee Less

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Dept for Transport drops main public interest duties from GBR, in major step back for accessibility and environment

abcommuters.com

Last week, the Department for Transport (DfT) launched a consultation on the legislation for Great British Railways (GBR). It has since become clear that the DfT dropped GBR’s headline ‘public int...
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Bring Back British Rail
3 weeks ago
Bring Back British Rail

Dept for Transport drops main public interest duties from GBR, in major step back for accessibility and environment ... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Dept for Transport drops main public interest duties from GBR, in major step back for accessibility and environment

abcommuters.com

Last week, the Department for Transport (DfT) launched a consultation on the legislation for Great British Railways (GBR). It has since become clear that the DfT dropped GBR’s headline ‘public int...
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  • likes wow sad angry 73
  • Shares: 17
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Bring Back British Rail
3 months ago
Bring Back British Rail

Get your Bring Back British Rail Bumper Stickers and Rail Card Wallets! Order by 12noon this Weds 18 December to receive in time for Christmas 🎄 All proceeds help support our volunteer-run campaign. Order at: bringbackbritishrail.org/support ... See MoreSee Less

Get your Bring Back British Rail Bumper Stickers and Rail Card Wallets! Order by 12noon this Weds 18 December to receive in time for Christmas 🎄 All proceeds help support our volunteer-run campaign. Order at: bringbackbritishrail.org/support
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Bring Back British Rail
3 months ago
Bring Back British Rail

🚆Join our countdown to rail re-nationalisation! ⏰Our new Privatisation Departures Board allows you to easily count the days to the demise of your least favourite private train operator...
👉bringbackbritishrail.org/departures
Roll-on our re-unified, publicly-owned #GreatBritishRailways @top fans ... See MoreSee Less

🚆Join our countdown to rail re-nationalisation! ⏰Our new Privatisation Departures Board allows you to easily count the days to the demise of your least favourite private train operator... 👉bringbackbritishrail.org/departures Roll-on our re-unified, publicly-owned #GreatBritishRailways @top fans
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Join the conversation using:
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— bringbackbritishrail

    Petition

    We are the collective voice of disgruntled rail passengers and disheartened train employees, demanding a re-unified national rail network run for people not profit.

    Sign the petition now and join 54123 other supporters.

    Bring Back British Rail

    Read or Edit the Petition

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    54,123 signatures

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    Our Supporters

    • Privatisation has delivered… a system in which train operators and energy firms compete not on service – but on how many tariffs they can bamboozle customers with.

      Aditya Chakrabortty, The Guardian

    • Something as important and necessary (and enjoyable) as train travel should be in the hands of the people, be affordable and safe, not making money for shareholders.

      Nina Power, writer

    • Like most people in Britain, I think that a railway is a natural function of the state, and so ought to be run by the state – for the sake of coherence, transparency, continuity, accountability and national pride.

      Andrew Martin, writer

    • A good public transport system should be the foundation of a fair, just, happy, low-carbon world.

      Ellie Harrison, campaign founder

    • At its heart privatisation in Britain was never about selling public networks but about selling the rights to tax those who are obliged to use them.

      James Meek, writer

    • East Coast shows us that publicly owned rail works better for passengers and taxpayers. We need a railway fit for the future – it’s got to be in public hands.

      Cat Hobbs, We Own It

    • To be able to reduce C02 emissions, by persuading people to leave cars at home, we need a fast, efficient subsidised railway system that’s run for people not profit!

      Ellie Harrison, campaign founder

    • Research into privatisation… boils down to one key finding: the only way Branson and the vast majority of train barons make their profits is through handouts from the taxpayer.

      Aditya Chakrabortty, The Guardian

    • Only a publicly owned railway can deliver affordable fares, good services, high customer satisfaction, properly staffed stations and a profitable return to the public purse.

      Charles Secrett, The ACT! Alliance

    • Taking our railways back from private profiteers will mean better services, fairer rail fares and more than £1 billion a year in savings for the public purse.

      Caroline Lucas, Green Party MP

    • If the private companies that took over the national railways are cutting back and eroding services at a time when the climate crisis demands expanded low-carbon transportation alternatives to keep more of us out of planes, then these services too must be reclaimed.

      Naomi Klein, writer

    • The privatisation of the railways was a scandal that created an unworkable and expensive structure which should be replaced with a national unified network.

      Christian Wolmar, transport commentator

    • The UK public wants a publicly owned railway, and so do we. Lush calls for an end to the failed experiment of privatising essential services.

      Tamsin Omond, Lush Campaigns

    • There is no good excuse left for rail privatisation beyond enriching wealthy elites. Public ownership delivers for social and environmental needs over private profit.

      Professor Andrew Cumbers, University of Glasgow

    • Let’s make the case for democratic social ownership, fit for the 21st century, ensuring our railways are run in the interests of passengers, not profiteers.

      Owen Jones, writer

    • Transport is an essential public service and ought to be publicly owned and publicly controlled. We need an enormous expansion in the investment in our railways and that is the best way of achieving it.

      Tony Benn, politician

    • Privatisation is only progress, if you mean progressing towards an apocalypse of injustice. Bring back British Rail!

      Josie Long, comedian

    • In 1948 Labour nationalised rail to rebuild Britain after a world war. Today bankers and speculators use privatised trains for tax scams. Time to bring back British Rail.

      Alex Gordon, former RMT President

    • Privatisation of the railways has failed. Its time to make a virtue of public ownership, and the public service provided by state employees.

      Charles Secrett, The ACT! Alliance

    • Now is the moment to re-nationalise the railways and it has never been cheaper or more possible.

      Andrew Gilligan, journalist

    Products

    • Bumper Sticker £3.00
    • Enamel Badge £6.00
    • Rail Card Wallet £4.00

    Bring Back British Rail is coordinated from Glasgow by Ellie Harrison, with the help of a small network of volunteers around the UK.
    The campaign operates as a ‘non-charitable campaigning body’ and so is free to carry out political activity and act as a pressure group.
    It aims to be a completely autonomous and transparent passenger-led organisation, which has no direct affiliation with any political parties.
    Accounts | Privacy Policy | Press & Media Enquiries: info@bringbackbritishrail.org

    Bring Back British Rail logo / identity designed by Fraser Muggeridge. Website by Neil Scott.