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Thought Leadership

Railways Bill Update: Government Response to Transport Committee

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By Chris Simms Lydia Cullimore
6 May 2026 2 min read
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On 24 April 2026, the Government published its formal response to the Transport Committee’s report on the Railways Bill, which provides the legislative framework for establishing Great British Railways (“GBR”).  Our previous Thought Leadership piece on the Railways Bill can be accessed here.

The response addresses the Committee’s recommendations on governance, accountability, passenger protection, freight, access arrangements and devolution.  

Overall, the response accepts the importance of transparency and scrutiny, but the Government generally maintains that key matters such as GBR’s operational independence, the balance of statutory duties and the role of the Secretary of State can be managed through licences, business plans, guidance and memoranda of understanding rather than through additional prescriptive requirements on the face of the Bill.   

The Government has also agreed to publish further material alongside the Bill’s passage, including documents on the timetable for transition, the intended content of the Long Term Rail Strategy and the proposed contents of GBR’s licence.      

The response also gives a clearer indication of how the proposed GBR framework would operate in practice. It addresses how passenger interests and accessibility are intended to be reflected in GBR’s decision-making, how the Passengers’ Council and the Office of Rail and Road would oversee performance and compliance, and how freight growth, access arrangements and capacity planning would be considered within the new system. On devolution, the Government reiterates that GBR should work closely with mayors and local transport bodies, while setting out its view that partnership arrangements can be developed without additional legislative prescription.

Taken as a whole, the response indicates that the direction of reform activity remains broadly unchanged — showing a clear preference for relying on institutional design, oversight arrangements and policy documents rather than further statutory prescription.    

Further detail is expected as the Bill progresses through Parliament and as supporting documents are published, with the bill currently expected to become law in Autum 2026. 

If you would like to discuss this, or any aspect of rail reform please get in touch with your usual Burges Salmon contact. 

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