The new transport secretary has scrapped legislation that would have brought the railways under the new, state-owned Great British Railways.
Great British Railways was a flagship policy of former transport secretary Grant Shapps, which would have created a state-owned body described as going some way to renationalising Britain’s railways in 2024. It is unclear whether this will still go ahead.
The transport bill had been promised as part of the government’s response to the illegal sacking of 800 seafarers by P&O Ferries in March.
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“If we have a smaller bill we have a better chance of getting that squeezed in by May,” said Anne-Marie Trevelyan when asked to confirm the schedule for the transport bill by the government’s transport committee.
“Secretary of state you’ve just let us know the transport bill has been canned, so maybe in the department you’ll have some spare capacity” replied committee chair and Tory MP Huw Merriman, who went on to ask how the department planned to use that spare capacity to amend, repeal or replace the 424 pieces of EU law that are also set to go.