Giving power to passengers

The controversial sell-off was followed within a few short years by the return to public ownership of the network, while the franchising system for rail companies has failed passengers in Yorkshire on just about every measure.

In return, travellers pay extortionate fares – the highest in Europe – and many face overcrowded and uncomfortable journeys in rolling stock that should have been consigned to the scrapyard long ago.

The announcement yesterday that local authorities could be in line to take over control of the soon-to-be-electrified TransPennine route between Leeds and Manchester could herald a new era, and, if successful, might even open the way for the running of other lines to be handed to local people.

Ministers announced the electrification as part of measures to kick-start the economy, and one key element of handing control to councils means that new jobs, particularly apprenticeships, could be earmarked for local people where possible. But inevitably the devil will be in the detail and there will be particular interest in the terms of the handover of responsibility from the Department of Transport to local authorities.

Furthermore, it does not mean that fares will be reduced although councils could get together to consider innovative ways, for instance, of offering specific discounts to local people. Key problems also remain in terms of the age of rolling stock and shortage of line capacity.

The Yorkshire Post has been calling for a wholesale shift in power to the regions as part of our Give us a Fair Deal campaign. It remains the case that the move – part of a major switch Nick Clegg claims will set big cities free to become catalysts for growth by devolving responsibilites from central government – will mean little if councils have no cash to exercise new powers, and if the bulk of national investment is still spent in London and the South East.

Nevertheless the initiative will at last strip powers from Whitehall mandarins – and that, at least, has to be given a qualified welcome if Britain is to enjoy a new railway age.