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Independent chair Keith Williams invites evidence from a wide range of stakeholders.

• review now seeking views from passengers and businesses across the country
• evidence to inform ‘root and branch’ review which will transform rail industry
• ambitious reforms to help railway meet demands of 21st century

The sweeping review of the rail industry, announced by the Transport Secretary in September, has moved significantly forward with the launch of the call for evidence yesterday (6 December 2018).

Keith Williams, independent chair of the Rail Review and former British Airways chief executive, is inviting evidence from a wide range of stakeholders in all parts of the country, including passenger representatives, businesses, leading thinkers and investors, and local and devolved bodies and governments.

He is travelling across the country visiting cities, towns and regions that depend on rail connections, listening and gathering information that will help inform a transformation of the rail industry to benefit passengers and support a stronger, fairer economy.

Keith Williams yesterday said:

Creating a railway for the 21st Century passenger is at the core of this review.

We’re launching a call for evidence and want to hear from passengers, the industry, leading thinkers and investors - and also the cities, towns and regions who depend on their rail connections.

Next year, after forensic investigations and conversations with people across the country, we will deliver a white paper with ambitious proposals for change.

The review will consider ambitious recommendations for rail reform, building on the government’s franchising strategy and bringing track and train closer together to reduce disruption and improve accountability. It will also consider regional partnerships and how we can use innovation to improve services and value for money for passengers.

The government will publish a white paper on the review’s recommendations, with the implementation of reforms planned to start from 2020.

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