The Williams-Shapps plan for Rail highlights the success of the TfL Rail/London Overground model. Despite this, the government has not recommended that all London suburban rail lines be consolidated into a single, centralised network.
The London Assembly has today called on the Government to devolve rail franchise management to TfL.
Elly Baker AM, who proposed the motion said:
“The Williams-Shapps Plan presented a golden opportunity for suburban rail services in Greater London to be devolved to TfL and it’s disappointing it wasn’t taken.
With Londoners having faced disruption, delays and overcrowding on suburban rail routes, handing those routes over to TfL Overground would ensure a more reliable and affordable service for beleaguered commuters.
In recent years, the Transport Secretary has given out many positive signals that devolution is on the cards, and the William-Shapps plan itself uses TfL as a gold standard of how transport networks should be run.
Going forward, I’d like to see the Government provide assurances that plans to integrate all rail lines across Greater London into a single, centralised network under the management of TfL, are still firmly on the table”.
The full text of the motion is:
“This Assembly notes that on 20 May 2021 the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail was published by the Government. This Assembly also notes with disappointment that the Government have decided not to build on the success of TfL Rail and the London Overground, which would have led to more efficient rail services throughout the Capital.
This Assembly notes that London’s population growth is expected to generate six million additional trips in the city every day by 2041 and because of this, London needs a reliable, efficient transport network to be able to support this growth.
This Assembly believes that the Government should hand-over control of all suburban rail lines to Transport for London, which will integrate all rail lines across Greater London into a single, centralised network.
The Assembly therefore asks the Secretary of State for Transport to confirm his view that the Government should devolve franchise management to TfL, which has a proven record of delivering to a high standard.”
Notes to editors
- Watch the full webcast.
- The motion was agreed unanimously
- Elly Baker AM who proposed the motion, is available for interviews.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
For media enquiries, please contact Alison Bell on 020 7983 4228. For out of hours media enquiries, call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the London Assembly duty press officer.