Make ScotRail Public
1st April 2020 | News / Petition
Five years ago today, Abellio – the company owned by the Dutch government – took over running Scotland’s Railway. After years of poor service, on 18 December 2019, the Scottish Minister for Transport Michael Matheson MSP, finally announced that he would break Abellio’s contract three years’ early (on 31 March 2022).
On 1 April 2020, we re-launched the Make ScotRail Public campaign in collaboration with our friends at Get Glasgow Moving, TSSA and We Own It, to demand that a public sector operator is ready to take over running ScotRail services by 2022.
‘Britain’s trains have effectively been nationalised’
23rd March 2020 | News
Today, as a result of the Coronavirus Outbreak, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps utilised Section 118 of the Railways Act 1993 to suspend all current franchise agreements with private Train Operating Companies and replace them with temporary Emergency Measures Agreements.
This led The Guardian newspaper to report that ‘Britain’s trains have effectively been nationalised‘, despite this actually looking more like a massive bailout for failing private companies whose share prices then surged as a result.
These Emergency Measures Agreements also only apply to franchises currently let by the Department for Transport and, of course, exclude LNER and Northern, which are already in public ownership – a fact we were celebrating at the start of the month:
So, the new Emergency Measures Agreements do not apply to:
• the ScotRail or the Caledonian Sleeper franchises let by the Scottish Government which has its own Emergency Measures Agreements in place,
• the Transport for Wales Rail franchise let by the Welsh Government,
• the TfL Rail or London Overground contracts let by Transport for London, or
• the Merseyrail contract let by Merseytravel
Please explore the ‘Franchises‘ pages of our website (first launched in 2015 and now updated regularly) to find out who runs the railways in your area, and how you can help campaign for public ownership:
Keep Northern Public
24th February 2020 | Demonstration / News
This March, after years of failure under the control of private companies, Northern rail will be officially re-nationalised!
To mark this momentous moment, we’re working with our friends at RMT, We Own It, the Association of British Commuters and Northern Resist, to organise a Day of Action across the North of England demanding that Transport Secretary Grant Shapps keeps Northern in public ownership from now on.
Please join us at one of the stations listed below.
Monday 2 March 2020:
06:30-08:45 Carlisle Station
07:00-09:00 Manchester Victoria Station
07:00-09:00 Wigan Station
07:00-09:00 York Station
07:00-10:00 Leeds Station
07:30-09:00 Newcastle Central Station (Main Entrances on Neville Street)
07:30-09:00 Wakefield Westgate Station
16:00-18:00 Sheffield Station
Passengers Rise Up! National Day of Action
20th December 2019 | Demonstration / Media Coverage / News
On Thursday 2 January 2020, rail fares go up again by another 2.8%.
The rail franchising system is broken and it’s passengers that are paying the price.
We’re joining forces with our friends at the Association of British Commuters and other passenger groups across the country to organise a National Day of Passenger Action demanding an end to the farce of franchising and fair fares now!
They’ll be a central demonstration at London King’s Cross Station at 8am. Details of other actions will be listed on the Facebook event page and below.
Thursday 2 January 2020:
07:00-09:00 King’s Lynn Station
08:00-09:30 London King’s Cross Station
09:30-10:30 Chelmsford Station
10:00-12:00 Norwich Station (organised by NOR4NOR)
11:30-12:30 London Liverpool Street Station
16:00-17:30 Burton-on-Trent Station
16:30-19:30 Bolton Station (organised by Northern Resist)
Please get in touch if you’d like to organise an action at your local station and we can help promote it: info@bringbackbritishrail.org
Media Coverage from 2 January 2020
• Transport Secretary Grant Shapps vows to strip Northern Rail of its franchise as furious commuters say they are ‘being priced off the railway’ after fares rise 2.7 per cent across UK, Daily Mail
• Train fare increase 2020: protesters gather at London’s Kings Cross warning of ‘decade of misery’ for rail commuters, I News
• Rail fares rise by 2.7%, hitting millions of commuters, BBC News
• Commuters in mass protests as 2.7% rail fare hike hits, Inside Croydon
• Railway stations to be hit by more strikes against fee hikes, Morning Star
• Northern to be stripped of rail franchise – Shapps, Wimbledon Times
• Commuters gather at Bolton station in protest over increased rail fares, The Guardian
• ‘Enough is enough!’ Furious commuter rages at railway ‘carnage’ amid fresh fare hikes, Daily Express
BBC Radio Scotland ScotRail debate
19th December 2019 | Media Coverage / News
Following Scottish Transport Secretary Michael Matheson’s announcement that he would be ending Abellio’s contract to run the ScotRail franchise three years’ early (on 31 March 2022), Bring Back British Rail’s Ellie Harrison was invited onto BBC Radio Scotland’s Jackie Brambles show to discuss ScotRail’s future with rail journalist Philip Haigh and Rachel Jackson, actress and comedian.
General Election 2019
22nd November 2019 | Merchandise / News
The Labour Party’s manifesto for the UK General Election on 12 December 2019 promises to deliver publicly-owned railways, mail, water and energy. Could this finally be our chance to Bring Back British Rail?
Make sure you register to vote before the deadline on Tuesday 26 November 2019, 11.59pm so that you can have your say!
And order your Bring Back British Rail merchandise in time for the election! Our #GE2019 Special Offer gets you a Rail Card Wallet, Enamel Badge and Embroidered Patch for just £10 including delivery in the UK.
Williams Rail Review
18th March 2019 | News
Today Bring Back British Rail and We Own It met Keith Williams, head of the Williams Rail Review, the biggest review of our railways since privatisation.
We agreed with Keith, rail franchising is broken and told him public ownership is the answer!
Please take time to #TellKeith your views before the deadline on 31 May 2019
📝 gov.uk/government/consultations/williams-rail-review
We all want British Rail
18th January 2019 | Media Coverage / News
Coverage in the Daily Mirror of our Care2 petition hand-in with more than 120,000 signatures, at the Department for Transport on 18 January 2019. We’re demanding that the public ownership of our railways is properly considered in the Williams Rail Review.
Rail Revolution: Day of Action
11th December 2018 | Demonstration / Media Coverage / News
Sick of rising rail fares and chaotic commuting?
Tired of the endless tinkering with our broken privatised railway system?
It’s time for a #RailRevolution.
On Wednesday 2 January 2019, as our rail fares rise again by 3.1%, we’re joining forces with our friends at We Own It, the Association of British Commuters and NOR4NOR to organise a national day of action calling for radical reform.
Coinciding with the public consultation for the government’s new ‘root and branch’ review of rail: the Williams Rail Review, we’re calling on passengers all over the country to respond in favour of a re-unified national rail network run for people not profit.
On Wednesday 2 January 2019, protests will take place at stations across the country (see full list here), with a central one at London King’s Cross from 7:30-9:00am (photo call at 8:00am). See the Facebook event page for details, print a Bring Back British Rail placard and come join us!
Sign the Petition
Then on Friday 18 January 2019, to mark the deadline of the Williams Rail Review public consultation, we’ll be delivering our Care2 Petition to Re-nationalise our Railways signed by 118,039 people to the Department for Transport to demonstrate the sheer weight of public support for public ownership.
Make sure you add your name before then: bringbackbritishrail.org/care2
Media Coverage from 2 January 2019
• Furious passengers protest price hikes, Daily Mail
• Anger at ‘disgraceful’ rail fare rises as stations hit by protests, Sky News
• Chris Grayling blames unions for rail fare hike, BBC News
• Rail passengers stage ‘national day of action’ in protest at fare increases, Evening Standard
• Rail users to mount ‘national day of action’ over 3.1% fare rise, The Guardian
• Rail season tickets to jump by £100 for many commuters, Metro
• Train price hike: Jeremy Corbyn calls for public ownership of railways, Independent
• Rail fares rise 3.2% TODAY despite trains chaos, Mirror
• Protest in Birmingham over rising rail fares, Birmingham Live
• Protests at Sheffield railway station as rail fares rise by an average of 3.1 per cent, The Star
• York protest over national rail fare hike, The Press
Jeremy Vine on bringing back British Rail
20th September 2018 | Media Coverage / News
Following the Office of Rail and Road finding that ‘systemic failings’ have been the cause of the huge problems with new timetables on the Northern and Govia Thameslink Railway franchises, Ellie Harrison was invited to address the question ‘should we bring back British Rail?’ on BBC Radio 2’s Jeremy Vine show.
Incompetent Avanti West Coast has cut our West Coast mainline timetable to the bone! 🚉 Meanwhile Grant Shapps is planning to award them a new 10 year contract? Let's not reward failure. It's time to #makewestcoastpublic! Sign our Petition 👇
📝 you.38degrees.org.uk/p/westcoast ... See MoreSee Less
Controversy as Avanti West Coast announces timetable cuts
www.railwaygazette.com
UK: Avanti West Coast has triggered considerable anger amongst trade unions with its use of the phrase 'unofficial strike action' to describe the refusal of staff to work on their rest days.Comment on Facebook
Grant shapps wants to ban overtime for strikers while simultaneously getting angry at staff for not working overtime. Absolutely clueless about his own job.
Privatise the gains and let the public carry the risk !!! A warped Tory philosophy. All contracts to be taken back into Public Ownership once they've finished.
Shapps is the Idiots Idiot and doesn't know his brief
Private or not there is a shortage of trained drivers
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Sign the petition to stop the Department for Transport awarding the failing private company Avanti West Coast a new 10-year contract to run rail services on our West Coast Main Line until October 2032!🚉 Let’s not reward failure. #makewestcoastpublictCoastPublic 👇Sign here 👇
you.38degrees.org.uk/p/westcoast ... See MoreSee Less
Bring our West Coast rail services back into public ownership
you.38degrees.org.uk
I've just signed the petition to bring West Coast rail services back into public ownership. Join me here: you.38degrees.org.uk/org/petitions/bring-our-west-coast-rail-services-back-into-public...Comment on Facebook
The answer to skyrocketing bills is not 'handouts" it is time to take energy (along with water and rail) into state ownership. #Wehavebeenrippedoffforlongenough.
Avanti West Coast is not a private Co but part of the Italian state railways or the FS,so it is a state owend company just not the British state.
I thought that once the franchise ran out , they were taking them back in house as Great British Railways. yet another tory government con
10 more years..... Isn't great British railways supposed to be taking over next year????
As if they replaced the only good private train company (virgin) with this shower of shite 😡
They must have crossed someone's palm with you know what.
They came in with all hotter air of promises now look at the mess they made. Just like the east coast with different companies who failed. Hasn't government realise they are putting more money in now than it did before the privatisation of the railways. I've said it many times before 1923 they realise the mess of the railways and they tried to do something. John Major when privatisation there are ways he took the railways so far back we had more railway companies at one point then we had before 1923 . The managers who did the buyouts they're the ones who made the big money . The private companies have made money. Its when they realise they have to put money into it as well as take it out of it they don't want to know.
Signed and shared.
They are barely running a service in normal days.Let alone strike days.Then they are suspending ticket sales.So should people get on one of their trains without a ticket?Then use the excuse you refused to sell me one but I have to make this journey?
You’re looking for 7000 signatures? What good is that? You need a million at least. But signed anyway.
Signed.
Well, they've chosen to go ahead with a programme to refurbish the Pendolinos.
All crook's
Signed and shared
#BringBackBritishRail
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This great blog by the Association of British Commuters explains exactly what needs to be done to ensure #greatbritishrailways is great 🚆 There’s still time to help us demand public ownership by responding tDepartment for Transportnsport’s consultation before 11:45pm tonight 👇 Takes 15 mins ifWe Own Itow We Own It’s guide 👇
✏️ weownit.org.uk/gbr-consultation ... See MoreSee Less
The Great British Rip-Off: Why the Williams-Shapps Plan will fail to deliver
abcommuters.com
Despite four years work on the Williams-Shapps Plan, the government has failed to come up with any credible answers for the complete market failure of the railway. Its promise that Great British Ra…Comment on Facebook
What planet do they are on? It's a total waste of time and money. The simple answer would be the glory days of British Rail sectorisation but they haven't got a clue.
I disagree with this point from the article "Finally, the government wants to sign up to the Luxembourg Rail Protocol; a way of liberalising and globalising the Rolling Stock Companies (ROSCOs), making it easier for the big banks to get involved. However, the leasing of trains under the ROSCO system is already one of the most dysfunctional areas of the railway; as well as the biggest site of profit leakage." - the ROSCOs freed the railways from the DoT's purse strings allowing new rolling stock to come on stream there is absolutely no way that the DoT would have authorised that much expenditure as history proves.
How much will this cost the tax payer just changing the logos etc.
What's with all the hoodies in the Cabinet? I mean, Sunak can just about get away with it, but he's a tender 42 and diddy. Shapps is 53, for fuck's sake.
Latest loony idea from this moron... www.lbc.co.uk/news/brexit-bonus-plan-to-allow-motorists-to-drive-hgvs-without-extra-tests-to-help-s/
This cretin is a weapons grade wankspangle
Schapps couldn’t even run a Ponzi scheme Sums him up totally
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Help make #greatbritishrailways... great 🚆
Demand public ownership by responding to the Department for Transport's consultation on the biggest legislative changes to our railways in 30 years 👇
✏️ weownit.org.uk/gbr-consultation
Deadline: Thursday 4 August 2022 #gbrailways ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
Never mind the railway’s renationalise all the utilities first we are all being ripped off
If you’ve ever spent an arm, a leg and a bag of fingers on a train ticket, or faced late and cancelled trains, please say so in this consultation.. Bring the railways back into public ownership and end the absurdity of public utilities being privately owned. And please share, thanks.👌
Perhaps we should bring Westminster back into public ownership as well instead of it being run by big businesses to the detriment of the country??
People, obviously, forget how much more of a shambles the railway was before privatisation. Mind you, years of dithering about the change didn't help. I'm sure, in the last 20 years lessons have been learned that should be taken on board in the development of the system, but re-nationalisation would be retrograde and damaging.
I’m old enough to remember my regular commute on British Rail. They were often late. Overpriced. The seats were filthy and tatty at best. The drivers and conductors attitudes were that you owed them a favour if they turned up at all. It was horrible. Today the rail network is much much better. Please don’t opt to go back to the days of state ownership. The unionised workforce will simply turn the rail network into something that works for them and least of all for the passenger.
I’d be happy with the whole lot owned by the country but it must be run like a commercial company. They must maintain a disciplined, productive workforce and adjust to current commercial forces like DB. Not like the old BR.
Not sure why you’d want to bring back British Rail - it was hopeless! The railways aren’t perfect, but they are far better now than they were under British Rail!
I've supported Labour all of my voting life but why when they were in power after the tories privatised the industry didn't Labour bring it back into public ownership ? It's all money money money at the expense of the travelling public. It's a public service after all
You see what it's like since covid and in government control. Under private ownership travellers get the best deals and owners are accountable. Under government control there are strikes and chaos. NO, to state run industry, apart from health and education.
Public transport is an absolute joke. Cancelled at the drop of a hat, or, just doesn't turn up. Then they go on strike, expecting support!! Absolutely not. If you can afford to strike you're already paid too much
I would rather gas/electricity and water the essential in life be brought back into public ownership than be owned by foreign investors
“Bring back British Rail”. Really? 😂😂😂😂. They were an absolute joke. The current set up is far from perfect, but is vastly better than anything the old British Rail could offer. All nationalised industries were just a complete shambles.
Public ownership is great , but with the current idea wanted , with current money wasting Train operating and leasing companies running it all and combining Network rail into , no way, And the current staff are bearing the blame for the later
Bring back British Rail absolutely but bring it back better. In the 1970s British Rail had an advertising slogan "its quicker by rail" the general public had an alternative "its quicker by snail". Poor management, lack of investment and infrastructure, just like now, the difference being certain individuals are making a fortune out of it now while passengers and staff suffer. so bring back a publicly owned British Rail, but invest in it and make it successful.
I remember what the railways were like under public ownership. Crappy, dirty slam door trains that were always late no thanks
Railway workers are over paid and under worked, if it went back into public ownership, the unions would make it too expensive to travel by rail with their ridiculous pay rises they demand. Bring driverless trains in and bring the fare prices down. I know, I worked on the railway and have never earnt so much money.
The headline here has great appeal - but - I suspect the people who advocate it imagine that this privatisation will be backed by a bottomless pit of money - which it will not. The only reason the then Govt put railways out to private tender was to save money ( the same reason they sold off council houses to save having to bring them up to standard ).
Obviously many are not old enough to remember British rail. The problem today is that many franchises are owned by the French, Germans, Dutch etc who use cash to subsidize their own national networks, and Blair and brown must take some of the blame! It's not widely known but Thatcher put riders on privatisation of utilities to prevent them falling into foreign hands but future governments of both colours chose to ignore them!
And the Unions will never go on strike again . Nothing will change in fact by putting the railways into one company the unions will be even more powerful they will blame the government for every dispute
Scotrail is now owned by the people of Scotland🚉
Public and government funding of the Railways will lead to zero investment and cost cutting no matter who is in power. Privatisation whether you like it or not has led to better more frequent services and investment driven by shareholders expecting a return on their investments, with no one to force the government to invest and make the railways an attractive proposition we will be at the mercy of a cost cutting government hell bent on reducing funding. We are already seeing the effects of the government controls with job losses and pay freezes. Routes and early and late trains will come next for the chop.
.might be wrong but isn't some of our railways owned by the French German and Dutch government.
I remember nationalised railways, they were terrible.
The risk is, under the Tories, that if they were to bring it under public ownership, they'd ensure that it was starved of funds. The only reason they are happy to pour money into it now, is that much of it goes directly into profits; the question is whether they would cut the budget more than the amount that is currently syphoned off into profits.
Have you all forgotten what the railways were like when under public ownership 🙈
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Labour is being too cautious on public ownership - it’s pragmatic policy | Cat Hobbs ... See MoreSee Less
Labour is being too cautious on public ownership - it’s pragmatic policy | Cat Hobbs
www.theguardian.com
Instead of siphoning off profits to private shareholders, state utility companies could tackle the cost of living and climate crisis, says Cat Hobbs, founder of We Own ItComment on Facebook
I would vote for any party that took back all public utilities into public ownership. Labour needs to go back to it’s left wing roots not keep trying to be Tory Light!
Labour should be making hay while the tories are in disarray. That’s the reason boris lasted so long, the tories have nothing to fear. They will win nothing with beige Keir in charge !. No one knows what they really stand for. Then he goes and sacks his transport minister for standing on a picket line, talk about an own goal !
But i dont trust Starmer !! :/
I no longer understand what Labour stands for. The party could win an election but???
Corbyn's policies were liked, it was him that wasn't. Wake up Starmer before it is to late.
Why is it everyone knows the water companies are dumping raw sewage in our streams and waterways !( we pay to receive it and we pay to dispose of it)but know one is being prosecuted,if a farmer or small business pollutes water they are taken to court and fined quite large sums,why are they above the law
Starmer is a champagne socialist, should never have become the Labour leader
Your supposed to be labour,carry on like this and you’ll be third in the next election.You should be supporting the strikers not sacking one of your own.Disgusted to be a labour voter.
We have had nationalisation before and all that money wasted when theirs sold it off again ! Make a decision between all you parties and get it working and stick to it !
Railways nationalised? Can't see it happening even if Labour ever gets back in.
Labour are being Tories
.....if we can recall the railways under the last Labour government. It was worst but then only East Coast Main Line was brought back into public ownership and it thrived well.
they won't do it because it's what Corbyn wanted to do, and they'd rather be Tory than have anything to do with Corbyn
Labour is being too Conservative.
Don't you mean WEF ownership!
It will never happen. The Railways in the UK have been the greatest Political football, from 1948 until now. MP have shares in the Companies that supply the Railway.
Starmer needs to man up and stop being a right drip.
Tory-lite
The people who bought nationalised industries at knock-down prices have made enough. Take them back with no compensation at the price they were sold
Am I right in thinking even UKIP wanted this?
Stammer is a social democrat and he missed the boat like so many when Woy, shifty Shirl, Dr Death and the invisible Bill. We tragically didn't really get to see what a social democrat shyster John Smith was, but we got stuck with Blair and his privilege club. Let's get Labour back on course as a democratic socialist party with a commitment to nationalise where there are services that are part of the everyday needs of the nation. Water, gas, electricity rail and public transport. Social health, paliative health and trauma health all free to everyone with a egalitarian education system where money doesn't buy you a position, that is gained by merit.
I am NOT voting for them.
And how much further in debt will buying all that back make us?
If you believe that getting elected is the only way to change things then go for the lowest common denominators pander to racism and anti immigration ideas , attack anything woke and the Lbtq+ community. Try and attract Tory voters and scabs in fact become a petty Tory party and support capitalism and it’s wars and destruction of the planet .The Labour Party no longer represents working class people . Join A union fight back and even better become someone who try’s to change the whole damm system !!!
Labour want nothing to change while.pretending they're different to try and win votes
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