Rail Reform Bill resurrects franchises

The Government has published its draft Rail Reform Bill, which would pave the way to giving legal status to the proposed ‘guiding mind’ Great British Railways. GBR is referred to as the Integrated Rail Body, and the draft echoes previous suggestions that the IRB will be in charge of awarding and monitoring National Rail Contracts. However, the Explanatory Notes which accompany the text of the draft Bill say that the IRB will not absorb Network Rail. Instead, Network Rail will become the IRB, and the responsibilities which will come under the IRB will be transferred to it.