[Metrobeans]

B448 - Nationalisation of Railways Bill, TSR Labour Party

Nationalisation of Railways Bill

An Act taking the national rail system into public ownership for the benefit of the people of the United Kingdom.

BE IT ENACTED by The Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Commons in this present Parliament assembled, in accordance with the provisions of the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

Part 1. Public Ownership of Passenger Services
(a) The 26 member companies of The Association of Train Operating Companies and all their assets (Rolling stock, etc.) shall be bought out using treasury funds over the course of five years after this bill comes into effect.

i. The price paid for the companies and their assets will be based on their value on the date of this bill entering parliament.

(b) The companies, once bought, shall still handle the passenger infrastructure for their assigned region and shall be renamed “British Rail Regional Office for X” (Where X is the franchise they are active in).
(c) The assets of the companies shall be rebranded in accordance with the unified identity as outlined in Clause 5.

Part 2. Public Ownership of Infrastructure Services
(a) Network Rail, the company currently concerned with the provision of railway infrastructure shall be bought using treasury funds six years after this bill comes into effect.

i. The price paid for Network Rail and their assets will be based on their value on the date of this bill entering parliament.

(b) Upon its purchase, Network Rail shall be renamed “British Rail Infrastructure Services”.
(c) The company’s provisions shall remain unchanged.

Part 3. Public Ownership of Freight Services
(a) English, Welsh and Scottish Railway Limited (EWS) shall be bought from their current owners, Deutsche Bahn AG using treasury funds, seven years after this bill comes into effect.

i. The price paid for Network Rail and their assets will be based on their value on the date of this bill entering parliament.

(b) Freightliner’s UK branch shall be bought using treasury funds, eight years after this bill comes into effect.

i. The price paid for Network Rail and their assets will be based on their value on the date of this bill entering parliament.

(c) The two companies shall be amalgamated and renamed “British Rail Freight Services”.

Part 4. British Rail Administrative Office
(a) During the five years in which the Passenger Services are brought into Public Ownership, a “British Rail Administrative Office” (BRAO) shall be created.
(b) The BRAO will deal with the auditing of Regional Offices finances.
(c) The BRAO will set ticket prices on the basis of economic conditions.
(d) The BRAO will deal with the administration of ticket price concessions for those who qualify for them.
(e) The BRAO shall deal with the sanctions for those travelling without a valid ticket.

Part 5. Public Branding
(a) Specific company branding shall be removed from the entire of the national rail network and its advertising materials, to be replaced with a single British Rail branding.
(b) The branding of British Rail shall be based on the branding of the previous British Rail, including, but not limited to, the colour schemes and the British Rail Logo.

Part 6. Miscellaneous
(a) All Regional Offices that run services within Greater London shall be required to accept Oyster pre-paid and travelcards at all their stations within and around the Greater London area.
(b) Customer complaints shall first be dealt with by the Regional Offices and if necessary, will be passed onto the complaints department of the BRAO.

Part 7. Commencement, Short Title and Extent
(a) This act may be cited as the Nationalisation of Railways Act 2012.
(b) The provisions of this act shall begin from January 2013
(c) This Act extends to England, Wales and Scotland only.
(d) Shall come into force on the 1st January 2013 following Royal Assent.

[Birchington]

A good idea.

[Stiff Little Fingers]

Aye, I'd be pretty happy with this.

(Original post by Metrobeans)
QFA

Shouldn't this be B449, the renaming of the country is B448.

[Morgsie]

Disagree with this.

EU Directive 91/440

[barnetlad]

What about fares? What about disused lines and the policy I proposed in my election campaign?

[Morgsie]

(Original post by barnetlad)
What about fares? What about disused lines and the policy I proposed in my election campaign?

Lib Dems are looking into reopening lines, a policy that I carried with me. And we are looking into lower fares

[marcusfox]

There is no money left for nationalising the railways.

Anyone who thinks nationalising the railways would cut costs, save money and reduce fares are living in cloud cuckoo land.

As evidence, they can just take a look at what the still state funded Northern Ireland railways has to offer, delivering up fares every bit as eye-wateringly expensive (if not more so) compared to those in Great Britain.

[Morgsie]

RL Labour looked into the issue back in 2004 where Conference voted for nationalization but was rejected on cost grounds

[Rakas21]

The words hell and no come to mind and i hope sincerely that every member of the government votes No.

I am also disappointing with the lack of research in regards to point 2...

Network Rail is already an independent public body created by the government to take over from British Rail in 2002, the reason it is not categorised as such by the ONS is because no chancellor wishes to acknowledge the incompetence evidenced by £20bn worth of debt being built up in the past 8 years.

[obi_adorno_kenobi]

Why nationalise at the moment? We haven't the money and there isn't the political will to do so either. Instead, why not seek to mutualise the franchises as and when they come up for renewal. A clear example of how public utilities can deliver effectively when operated as mutual companies can be found in the case of Welsh Water. As much as I really, really do sympathise with nationalising the railways and would hope it happens in real life ... well, there really are other things to do.

This is another of those GRA follies. We already nationalised the railways and now we have to play with the same bill again. This really is getting tiresome and dull. It's not Labour's fault but frankly we need to do something about that piece of ****e called the Great Repeal Act.

[meenu89]

(Original post by Morgsie)
Disagree with this.

EU Directive 91/440

Are you a walking talking European Directive Encyclopaedia?

[toronto353]

Well done for copying a Socialist Bill word for word. How proud you all must be in the Labour party:

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/show...php?p=17635628

[toronto353]

(Original post by obi_adorno_kenobi)

This is another of those GRA follies. We already nationalised the railways and now we have to play with the same bill again. This really is getting tiresome and dull. It's not Labour's fault but frankly we need to do something about that piece of ****e called the Great Repeal Act.

Surely it is their fault? No-one forced the Labour party to shamelessly copy an old Act did they?

I agree with the rest of this though.

[CyclopsRock]

Finally some new job openings we can give to those crappy, lazy, pathetic bureaucrats we just made unemployed for being costly, crappy, lazy, pathetic bureaucrats.

[obi_adorno_kenobi]

(Original post by toronto353)
Surely it is their fault? No-one forced the Labour party to shamelessly copy an old Act did they?

I agree with the rest of this though.

No I know that but the motivation behind regurgitating old bills is the GRA. Being critical of Labour is your job.

[toronto353]

(Original post by obi_adorno_kenobi)
No I know that but the motivation behind regurgitating old bills is the GRA. Being critical of Labour is your job.

Well it's your job as well really. I've always thought of you as having no loyalties and pulling no punches regardless of the party.

[Metrobeans]

(Original post by toronto353)
Well done for copying a Socialist Bill word for word. How proud you all must be in the Labour party:

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/show...php?p=17635628

I hardly remember that! How interesting that I whipped against it when I was running Labour....

Anyway, copying someone else's work word for word without permission is not on. If the Socialists did not give their permission in advance, I shall expect this to be withdrawn. Immediately.

[toronto353]

(Original post by Metrobeans)
I hardly remember that! How interesting that I whipped against it when I was running Labour....

Anyway, copying someone else's work word for word without permission is not on. If the Socialists did not give their permission in advance, I shall expect this to be withdrawn. Immediately.

I recognised the title. Only one other Act was wheeled out as an excuse more times to explain why we couldn't do something.

[toronto353]

(Original post by Metrobeans)
I hardly remember that! How interesting that I whipped against it when I was running Labour....

Anyway, copying someone else's work word for word without permission is not on. If the Socialists did not give their permission in advance, I shall expect this to be withdrawn. Immediately.

Shouldn't it be better to close this debate really because the intention of GRA wasn't to submit old Bills word for word again hence it could be argued that this isn't in the spirit of the House. Stricof should be able to say whether he gives his permission or not.

(Original post by Stricof)
QFA

See Nick's post.

[Moleman1996]

this not just a bit expensive, regardless of whether you agree with the principle or not? and if as Toronto says, this just shows that this is the same labour party as last term. Not capable of producing good bills. Im sure the rest of the tory party and the government will join me in condemning what is just theft of a socialist bill, and will agree that we would never dream of copying someone elses bill, especially another party's word for word. Disgraceful