Mick Lynch, the RMT’s general secretary, will give the Jimmy Reid Memorial Lecture next month (24 October). He will do so during significant changes to the railway system across the UK. This briefing outlines the issues facing our railways as they move towards greater public ownership.
Our railways have struggled for years since privatisation, with underinvestment, poor service, delays, and disruption. ScotRail has been brought back into public ownership but faces challenges over driver recruitment and integrated ticketing. The pilot scheme to end peak rail fares has been finished. The new UK Government has said they will take all operators into public ownership alongside bringing track and train back together. However, it will only happen when contracts end, and the rolling stock companies continue to pour profits to their shareholders.
We make the case for shifting investment from planes and roads into the railway system and for a modal shift towards rail freight. The key to the future of our railways and climate change is to get us out of our cars and onto the train. Rail is in a unique position to accommodate transfer away from the car. To achieve that, we need a radical policy shift and investment.