Rail reform: once in a generation opportunity
To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/rail-reform\n\nWhat is Great British Railways? How will it end rail industry fragmentation? And how can it deliver a rail network that works for customers, taxpayers, politicians, and the wider public?\n\nThe new organisation is at the heart of the William-Shapps Plan for Rail, which reported in May. Keith Williams, Chair of the Review, describes the British railway network as a \u201ccomplex Rubik\u2019s cube\u201d and says Great British Railways should be a central \u2018guiding mind\u2019 in a reformed rail system.\n\nThis event explored how to make a reformed rail network work for Great Britain\u2019s long-term post-pandemic future, drawing on lessons from previous attempts at reshaping the rail industry and experiences of setting up arms-length bodies elsewhere.\n\nOur panel:\n\nKeith Williams, independent Chair of the Williams Review\nThe Rt Hon. the Lord Darling of Roulanish, former Secretary of State for Transport and former Chancellor of the Exchequer\nMaria Machancoses, CEO of Midlands Connect\nAndy Bagnall, Director General of the Rail Delivery Group\nThe event was chaired by Dr Matthew Gill, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.\n\nWe are grateful to The Rail Delivery Group for their support with this event.