Transport
For several years, the Co-operative Party has fought the ‘People’s Rail’ campaign to give the British public real power over Network Rail. Yet it is not just the rail network where there is an accountability gap. The recent forced nationalisation of the East Coast mainline demonstrates the degree to which private sector operators can often seek to socialise risk and privatise reward. The Government should use the opportunity created by nationalisation to create a new mutual provider as a public sector comparator to the other train operating companies. There’s more that can be done too – from community transport initiatives to bus companies.
Latest articles on Transport
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Alun Michael MP pushes for a mutual rail network in Wales (6 Mar 2012)
Labour & Co-operative MP Alun Michael was at Welsh Questions in Parliament last week to raise the potential of mutual ownership of the rail network in Wales. The Minister David Jones was at least prepared to welcome the ‘helpful contribution’ of our People’s Rail proposals, unlike Plaid Cymru – no friends of co-ops, clearly. The [...]
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Support for ASLEF’s proposals for Welsh railways (1 Mar 2012)
The Welsh Co-operative Party was pleased to be able to second a motion from ASLEF, the rail union, at the recent Welsh Labour Party conference, calling for a not-for-dividend provider of rail services in Wales. Conference notes figures from the Office of Rail Regulation which state that the Welsh rail franchise is the most heavily [...]
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Transport cuts being made with no long-term strategy, says National Audit Office (14 Dec 2011)
Following our rail event with Maria Eagle MP last week, Joe Fortune reports on the National Audit Office's report on the Department for Transport stating that the massive cuts lack strategy and may benefit rail companies at the expense of passengers.
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Event: Accountability in the Railways, 7 December (8 Nov 2011)
This joint event between the Friends of the Co-operative Ideal and SERA – the Labour Environment Campaign are hosting this joint event looking at the accountability gap in Britain’s railways. Building on the Co-operative Party’s campaign The People’s Rail, we will be looking at the opportunities for mutual structures on our rail network, from infrastructure [...]
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Conference preview: Louise Ellman MP – Tying people to the railways (22 Sep 2011)
Labour & Co-operative MP and Chair of the Transport Select Committee, Louise Ellman MP, previews our fringe at Labour Party Conference in Liverpool next week. Increasing numbers of people travel by rail yet there are major question marks over whether the current system delivers value for money for taxpayers or passengers, and businesses ask why [...]
