Transport Committee holds sessions on electric vehicles and on draft Rail Reform Bill with union chiefs
The Committee continues its scrutiny of the draft Rail Reform Bill with questions to trade union chiefs Mick Whelan (ASLEF) and Mick Lynch (RMT), followed by the CEO of rolling stock company Angel Trains, Malcolm Brown.
Meeting details
The Government’s draft Bill, published in February, proposes legislation needed to deliver reforms included in the Government’s Plan for Rail. This includes establishing an ‘integrated rail body’ – branded as Great British Railways (GBR) – and giving it new legal powers to manage and oversee the country’s rail infrastructure and franchising of services to train operating companies.
The union leaders will be asked for their views on whether, under the proposals, the new integrated rail body would be sufficiently independent from the Government, as well as transparent and open to accountability about its performance. Malcolm Brown will be asked how the draft legislation will set the terms of the integrated rail body’s relationship with rolling stock companies and train operating companies.