Ask your MP to hear We Own It vision for Railways Bill

Public service campaigners ‘We Own It’ are asking supporters to invite their MPs to a special event to discuss their new report on the future of our railways.

The government is bringing 30 years of failed rail privatisation to an end with their Railways Bill.  But the group want to ensure the Bill truly delivers the lower fares, better connections, accessibility and integration in our railway that we all want.

That’s why they will be telling MPs about their report, “Passengers not profit: a vision for the Railways Bill" at a special drop-in session in Parliament next month.

A We Own It spokesperson said: “The vision has been created by bringing together rail experts and campaigners to call for a range of policies that will get this country to its final destination: a successful railway that we can all be proud of. We ask MPs to please read this vision and get in touch if you are willing to push for legislation that delivers what is needed through the Railways Bill this autumn.”

The drop-in session will be held from 2pm to 4pm in the Jubilee Room at the House of Commons on Thursday, 4th September.

To learn how you can contact your own MP, visit We Own It’s dedicated web page here:   Email your MP - Passengers not profit: a vision for the Railways Bill | We Own It

We Own It campaigns against privatisation and for 21st century public ownership. We believe public services belong to all of us - from the NHS to schools, water to energy, rail to Royal Mail, care work to council services.

Their spokesperson added: “It’s exciting that the government is delivering public ownership, but there are huge risks here too. Public ownership of rail franchises is absolutely necessary, but that policy change alone is not sufficient to deliver the “new future” passengers in England, Wales and Scotland are desperate for. Without the right implementation and package of broader reforms, the results could disappoint passengers.”

We Own It has three demands for the government:

• Be ambitious for our railway, investing at the level of other European countries like Switzerland, expanding lines and reducing fares so that taking the train becomes the easy option.

• Deliver the benefits of public ownership – cross subsidy using profits to provide more services, integration, collaboration, efficient planning and a vision for the whole network. It means saying no to continued private profits for rail operators and rolling stock companies.

• Listen to passengers as we kickstart this overdue conversation about what public ownership should look like and give us a new democratic watchdog and representation in Great British Railways.

  
  

www.weownit.org.uk