Research and Reports

Competition in passenger rail services in Great Britain

In this major report - which follows an interim paper last July - the Competition and Markets Authority argues for giving a greater role to open access operators on inter-city routes. The CMA concludes that increasing competition could bring benefits including lower fares/passenger growth, efficiency, and incentives to improve service quality. Recommendations include lowering levels of specification in franchise contracts, reforming access charges, incentivising Network Rail to “manage traffic and capacity more efficiently” and encouraging smart ticketing.