RAIL franchising was “ended” today as emergency measures introduced to keep trains running through the coronavirus pandemic were extended by the Department for Transport (DfT).

After 26 years and at a cost of billions of pounds to taxpayers and frustrated passengers, the government says it will abandon its rail franchising system.

But rather than return rail to the efficient public sector, it is to pump hundreds of millions more into the pockets of profiteering privateers by introducing a new contracting system.