Railways Bill: Remaining Stages and Third Reading

10/06/2026
Posted by: Valerie Vaz MP
Category: News

The Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act 2024 brought privately operated services back into public hands as contracts expired, this Bill will establish Great British Railways (GBR) – a railway owned by the public that offers a better deal for taxpayers. GBR will take decisions on what constitutes best use in a way that is fair, providing a role for open access operators while also being compliant with its duties, especially in respect of the need to grow rail freight on the network. The Government will also be compelled to set a freight growth target.

The House of Commons met to debate the Bill in its remaining stages on 10 June 2026.

Three amendments were voted on:

New Clause 1, which would have required the Secretary of State to lay a Passengers’ Charter and sets out what the charter should contain, including provision relating to customer amenities, value for money, accessibility and compensation, was rejected: Ayes 77, Noes 271.

Amendment 143 alongside Amendments 144 to 147 would have required GBR to continue to offer discounted rail fares for veterans, members of the UK armed forces and their families, or young people aged 26 to 30, and was rejected: Ayes 167, Noes 266.

Amendment 148, which would have changed the current appeals provision so that appeals can be decided on the merits, was rejected: Ayes 155, Noes 279.

The Bill passed its Third Reading: Ayes 278, Noes 149, and now goes to the House of Lords.