London’s commuter belt could benefit from TfL-style “best-price guarantee” rail fares under a Labour government, the party claimed on Thursday.
Shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh said “bold reforms” would see most passenger services renationalised within five years under a “Great British Railways” brand.
It would mean travellers coming into the capital would get automatic delay and cancellation refunds, more integrated timetables, digital season tickets as well as TfL-style travel “offers”, the party said.
TfL, run by City Hall, caps how much passengers pay for all journeys in one day or week.
Ms Haigh promised to “simplify” ticketing across the country. However she refused to say fares would be lower under her plan.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said Labour’s plans would result in tax increases.
“This is an unfunded spending promise because Labour do not have a plan to pay for it,” he said. “That means higher taxes on working people.”
Ms Haigh said she could not commit to increasing wages for striking railway workers but ruled out closing ticket offices or reducing staffing levels, which has been a major concern of unions organising walk outs.
Labour plans to bring passenger services into public control within five years as the current contracts expire, she said.
But there will still be a role for the private sector, as the trains themselves will be leased from companies.
Ms Haigh added: “We will instruct the Department for Transport, Network Rail, the Rail Delivery Group, and the operator of last resort to work together from day one to create a ‘shadow’ Great British Railways...
“I know what some are going to say. ‘Same old Labour – calling for public ownership’.
“But the truth of the matter is that neither the passenger nor the taxpayer can afford for things to continue like this.
“Throwing good money after bad at a system that simply isn’t delivering.”
Private train companies have overseen a huge boom in rail usage, but have faced heavy criticism for high fares, delays and cancellations.
Four major operators, including Southeastern and LNER, have been taken under public control in recent years and are being run by the government’s Operator of Last Resort model.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said Labour’s plan was “in the best interests of railway workers, passengers and the taxpayer”.
But he added the proposals “should be a first step to completely integrating all of our railway into public ownership”.
SNP transport spokesman Gavin Newlands said: “This is just the latest in a long list of U-turns from Sir Keir Starmer, this time on his commitment to nationalise the railways.
“Instead of putting the national railway service in the hands of the people, as the SNP Scottish Government have done, Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party will instead increase private investment into another public service, just like their plans for the NHS.”
