The Campaign to Bring Back British Rail is a pressure group in the United Kingdom whose objective is the renationalisation of the British Rail network, which was privatised in the 1990s.[2][3] In addition to its representation of ordinary passengers, on whose behalf it campaigns for improvements to rail services, it undertakes research for the purpose of lobbying political parties towards the ends of reintroducing a vertically-integrated, publicly owned and operated British railway network. It has over 150,000 supporters UK wide, accumulated since it was founded in 2009, and is managed from two hubs - in Glasgow and London.[4]
 | |
| Founded | 2009 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Ellie Harrison[1] |
| Type | Transport campaign group |
| Focus | Transport Public ownership Consumer rights |
| Location | |
Area served | United Kingdom |
| Product | campaigning, lobbying, media, research |
Members | 150,000 (supporters) |
Key people | Ellie Harrison |
| Website | www.bringbackbritishrail.org |
Several train operating companies have been brought under state control by operators of last resort including Caledonian Sleeper, LNER, Northern, ScotRail, Southeastern, TransPennine Express and Transport for Wales.[5] The Labour Party has committed itself to renationalising the rail network should it win the 2024 general election.[6]
Feedback edit
A 2012 poll showed that 70% of voters want a re-nationalisation of the railways, while only 23% supported continued privatisation.[7] According to a 2013 YouGov poll, 66% of the public support bringing the railways into public ownership.[8] According to the Office of Rail & Road, as of 2016 there was 62% support for public ownership of train-operating companies.[9] A poll of 1,500 adults in Britain in June 2018 showed 64% support renationalising Britain's railways, 19% would oppose renationalisation and 17% did not know.[10]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Bring Back British Rail". 30 July 2009.
- ^ Slawson, Nicola (3 January 2017). "Rail passengers to stage station protests against fare increases". The Guardian.
- ^ "Rail campaigners stage train fares protest at Waterloo". London SE1. 14 August 2012.
- ^ Official website
- ^ What does rail nationalisation mean and who owns UK railways? Evening Standard 11 May 2023
- ^ Keir Starmer commits Labour to rail nationalisation The Herald 27 July 2022
- ^ "70% want end to rail privatisation". Global Rail News. 13 September 2012. Archived from the original on 16 July 2014.
- ^ Dahlgreen, Will (4 November 2013). "Nationalise energy and rail companies, say public". YouGov.
- ^ Calder, Simon (30 January 2016). "Britain's railways are doing well despite privatisation". The Independent. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
- ^ "Do the public want the railways renationalised?". Full Fact. 14 June 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2019.