The London Assembly has called for further devolution from the government over the running of rail services in the city.
This is in order to ensure that the people of London can benefit from any proposals to bring rail back under public ownership. Calls for greater devolution come through a letter to Rail Minister Lord Hendy, with the Transport Committee calling on the government to make amendments to the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill 2024-25.
Proposed changes to the bill would allow Transport for London to run services that operate into, and within, the capital. The committee is of the belief that, should further rail services become devolved, the power for appointing a public sector operator for the Elizabeth Line and Overground should lie with Transport for London.
This would be in line with the changes that have been made to other services in London following the introduction of the bill.
Elly Baker, Chair of the London Assembly’s Transport Committee, said:
“The London Assembly has long backed further devolution of transport services in London, and the evidence the Committee heard in its investigation further supported that view.
“The Committee recognises that any further devolution would raise complex and important questions around the governance and systems for ensuring accountability in rail services.
“That’s why the Committee has written to the Mayor and the Government, calling on them to engage at the earliest stages with Londoners and the Assembly on how any further devolution should work in practice.”
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