Association of British Commuters
@abcommuters.bsky.social
Grassroots, voluntary campaign for justice and equality in public transport. Crowdfunded legal actions, investigations and advocacy.
"The Railways Bill could allow companies within Great British Railways to have private shareholders... These companies could carry out any GBR function - even train operations or infrastructure management... We shouldn't be creating a back door that allows privatisation to creep in."
The #RailwaysBill which will create our new Great British Railways is now being scrutinised by the House of Lords 🚆 Can they close the loopholes for re-privatisation & help deliver a fully-integrated railway? Please read & share @abcommuters.bsky.social's excellent briefing 👇
Railways Bill Briefing 1: Ownership and Structure
The Railways Bill is supposed to be a tool for bringing the railway fully into public ownership and integrating its structure and finances. However, there is great uncertainty on both these counts,…
abcommuters.com
Nationalised rail firm ‘was desperate’ to settle trio of discrimination cases, as calls mount for stronger laws #RailwaysBill #AccessibleTransport #GTR @abcommuters.bsky.social www.disabilitynewsservice.com/nationalised...
Nationalised rail firm ‘was desperate’ to settle trio of discrimination cases, as calls mount for stronger laws
A newly-nationalised rail company desperately tried to settle three separate cases of discrimination taken against it by a disabled campaigner, just weeks after the firm was brought under state con…
disabilitynewsservice.com
Govt amendments to the Railways Bill require GBR to be fully publicly owned. But no one checked the small print... Only the parent company is protected and any other 'GBR company' can be set up as a public-private partnership. Read more here: www.railmagazine.com/comment-land...
Making public transport fully accessible ‘could boost UK economy by £176bn’ buff.ly/oFbIGKQ Report says current network of buses, trains and stations effectively locks 2.8m people out of workforce @marisharay.bsky.social @imecheh.bsky.social @ollyglover.bsky.social @abcommuters.bsky.social
Making public transport fully accessible ‘could boost UK economy by £176bn’
Report says current network of buses, trains and stations effectively locks 2.8m people out of workforce
buff.ly
Ministers condemned for ‘outrageous’ failure to listen to ‘vital’ demands on accessibility in railways bill @abcommuters.bsky.social @transportforall.org.uk #RailwaysBill www.disabilitynewsservice.com/ministers-co...
Ministers condemned for ‘outrageous’ failure to listen to ‘vital’ demands on accessibility in railways bill
The government has been accused of an “outrageous” failure to listen to disabled campaigners and allies who have been calling for ministers to include far stronger measures on accessibility and dis…
disabilitynewsservice.com
URGENT: Railways Bill to deregulate passenger rights, disability rights & accessibility, weakening rights enforcement via the new Passenger Watchdog. We are demanding an urgent meeting with the Transport Ministers before the Bill reaches the House of Commons. abcommuters.com/2026/03/11/u...
URGENT: Railways Bill to deregulate passenger rights and accessibility
This report exposes the deregulation of passenger rights and accessibility hidden in the Railways Bill, severely weakening rights enforcement and even suggesting an increased overall safety risk to…
abcommuters.com
This week the Railways Bill, which will establish our new publicly-owned #GreatBritishRailways, enters Committee Stage🚆 The fight is now on to ensure the Bill creates a fully-integrated railway that is run in the public interest ✊ Read more👇 bringbackbritishrail.org/2026/01/railways-bill-committee
NEW: The Railways Bill enters its Committee stage this week - the first major chance to influence the legislation. The Committee must address the fundamental problem from the start - how competition law puts the future of our public railway under threat. abcommuters.com/2026/01/19/a...
A warning to the Bill Committee: Competition law puts the future of our public railway under threat
The Railways Bill enters its Committee Stage tomorrow – a line by line discussion lasting four weeks that is the first chance for MPs to table amendments, and the first major opportunity for …
abcommuters.com
There's so much at stake with the new Railways Bill being introduced to the UK Parliament this autumn 🚆 Check out @weownit.org.uk's vision for how our new publicly-owned #GreatBritishRailways should be established 👇
Read the report - Passengers not profit: a vision for the Railways Bill | We Own It
The government's upcoming Railways Bill should include these reforms if it is serious about delivering for passengers.
weownit.org.uk
3 out of 4 of us want a publicly owned railway. But how can we make sure it's a success? We asked rail experts including @christianwolmar.bsky.social @abcommuters.bsky.social @bringbackbr.bsky.social @rmtunion.bsky.social 🚄👉https://weownit.org.uk/act-now/passengers-vision-for-the-railways-bill
Labour must ensure public ownership is the 'final destination' of rail reforms
RAIL experts and campaign groups will launch a report today urging Labour to ensure that public ownership is the “final destination” of its rail reforms.The report, titled Passengers not Profit: A Vis...
morningstaronline.co.uk
Rail accessibility isn't working in its current form. Many of us have to plan far in advance for basic journeys that others don't give a second thought - around out-of-service lifts, inaccessible stations or to request assistance that still might not turn up when we need it. Change is needed!
Association of British Commuters@abcommuters.bsky.social · last yr.OPEN LETTER: Campaigners demand 'Accessibility Framework' for Great British Railways. The letter presents the govt with ten urgent demands - putting access and equality back at the heart of rail reform. abcommuters.com/2025/08/11/c...
Our new publicly-owned #GreatBritishRailways must mark the beginning of a new era 🚆 We need a railway that is run in the public interest – one that is fully-accessible & affordable for everyone to use 🙌 Read @abcommuters.bsky.social's open letter to @heidialexander.bsky.social 👇
Campaigners demand ‘Accessibility Framework’ for Great British Railways
Disability rights campaigners and passenger groups have today sent an open letter to the Secretary of State, demanding an ‘Accessibility Framework for Great British Railways.’ The lette…
abcommuters.com
We're proud to be supporting @abcommuters.bsky.social's ten demands for an accessible railway ✊ We need to see urgent action to deliver fully-accessible and affordable public transport networks that are easy for everyone to use 🚍🚇🚆 Read more here 👇
Campaigners demand ‘Accessibility Framework’ for Great British Railways
Disability rights campaigners and passenger groups have today sent an open letter to the Secretary of State, demanding an ‘Accessibility Framework for Great British Railways.’ The lette…
abcommuters.com
OPEN LETTER: Campaigners demand 'Accessibility Framework' for Great British Railways. The letter presents the govt with ten urgent demands - putting access and equality back at the heart of rail reform. abcommuters.com/2025/08/11/c...
Campaigners demand ‘Accessibility Framework’ for Great British Railways
Disability rights campaigners and passenger groups have today sent an open letter to the Secretary of State, demanding an ‘Accessibility Framework for Great British Railways.’ The lette…
abcommuters.com
Fantastic new documentary on Great British Railways, asking why the government is so slow to come up with a proper plan. Made by the talented young filmmaker @rikufryderyk.bsky.social feat Ellie Harrison from @bringbackbr.bsky.social and @christianwolmar.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_6U...
Blurred Lines - A Journey To Public Ownership- Documentary
YouTube video by Riku Fryderyk
youtube.com
Private 'open access' rail services are threatening billions of public money and the future of rail reform under Great British Railways. The Transport Minister must urgently intervene and block any more approvals from the rail regulator, Office of Rail and Road weownit.org.uk/news/stop-pr...
Open letter: stop First Group, Arriva and other private firms clinging on to our railway | We Own It
Private firms like First Group and Arriva are fighting to cling on to our railway. The government must impose a moratorium on approval of new rail contracts with private firms.
weownit.org.uk
8 in 10 of us back full public ownership of rail. And the government is working on delivering it. But @railandroad is still letting private firms in - disrespecting democracy. @Heidi_Labour, impose a moratorium on new 'open-access' approvals. vist.ly/3xwvq
Open letter: stop First Group, Arriva and other private firms clinging on to our railway | We Own It
Private firms like First Group and Arriva are fighting to cling on to our railway. The government must impose a moratorium on approval of new rail contracts with private firms.
weownit.org.uk
📢 Read our letter to Heidi Alexander demanding urgent action to stop the ORR awarding new contracts to private companies 🚆💸 Allowing 'open access' operators to continue will completely undermine our new publicly-owned #GreatBritishRailways 👇 📩 weownit.org.uk/news/stop-private-firms-in-our-railway
Rail Accessibility: Dept for Transport in breach of UN Disability Convention. After betraying ALL accessibility commitments of Great British Railways, the Transport Minister has refused to create a national action plan for rail accessibility. abcommuters.com/2025/06/16/r...
Rail Accessibility: Dept for Transport in breach of UN Disability Convention
Last week, the government responded to a damning Transport Committee report on disabled people’s access to transport, refusing to create a national action plan for full rail accessibility, and maki…
abcommuters.com
Allowing Open Access operators to run privatised rail services in competition with publicly-owned operators risks sabotaging the whole #GreatBritishRailways project 🚆 @heidialexander.bsky.social must stop the Office of Rail & Road granting more licences before it’s too late!
Open Access Crisis: Great British Railways and East Coast Main Line under threat
Private ‘open access’ train operators are creating a crisis for the entire railway – threatening billions of taxpayers’ money, as well as timetable planning and operational performance on the…
abcommuters.com
Open Access Crisis: Great British Railways and East Coast Main Line under threat. Network Rail warns of December timetable crisis, with billions of taxpayers' money under threat. But the rail regulator, ORR, is betraying the public and backing the private companies. abcommuters.com/2025/06/08/o...
Open Access Crisis: Great British Railways and East Coast Main Line under threat
Private ‘open access’ train operators are creating a crisis for the entire railway – threatening billions of taxpayers’ money, as well as timetable planning and operational performance on the…
abcommuters.com
What's the point of a publicly-owned railway, if it's not run in the public interest?🚆 @abcommuters.bsky.social's new investigation shows private rail companies have been calling the shots in the development of #GreatBritishRailways 💸 @heidialexander.bsky.social must put the public interest first!
Association of British Commuters@abcommuters.bsky.social · last yr.Exposed: Great British Railways Under Threat from Private Companies, Part One Tory task force GBRTT remained main policy advisor to the DfT until March this year, with evidence of corporate capture by private companies @bringbackbr.bsky.social abcommuters.com/2025/05/16/g...
Exposed: Great British Railways Under Threat from Private Companies, Part One Tory task force GBRTT remained main policy advisor to the DfT until March this year, with evidence of corporate capture by private companies @bringbackbr.bsky.social abcommuters.com/2025/05/16/g...
Great British Railways Under Threat from Private Companies: Part One
New evidence reveals that Tory Task force Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT) remained the main advisor to the Department for Transport on rail reform until March this year, giving exten…
abcommuters.com
Heard from @abcommuters.bsky.social tonight at the Get Glasgow Moving committee meeting. The work they are doing is so important, particularly in light of the proposed stealth de-regulation by Scotrail. Follow them and check their website for more details!
Ticket office cuts by three rail firms are just a test run for fresh round of reductions, campaigners warn buff.ly/QKIs7JG @marisharay.bsky.social @abcommuters.bsky.social @cajardinemp.bsky.social @liberaldisability.bsky.social @scotlibdems.org.uk @joshuareynoldssl6.bsky.social
Ticket office cuts by three rail firms are just a test run for fresh round of reductions, campaigners warn
Cuts to ticket office opening hours by three rail providers across England and Scotland are just a forerunner of further reductions to come across the country, which will have a significant impact …
buff.ly
Why is Dept for Transport dropping main public interest duties from Great British Railways? This is a major step back for accessibility and the environment. Let’s support @abcommuters.bsky.social as they hold govt to account. abcommuters.com/2025/02/24/d...
Dept for Transport drops main public interest duties from GBR, in major step back for accessibility and environment
Last week, the Department for Transport (DfT) launched a consultation on the legislation for Great British Railways (GBR). It has since become clear that the DfT dropped GBR’s headline ‘public inte…
abcommuters.com
EXCLUSIVE: 'Ticket Office Cuts Round Two' - UK and Scottish governments revive Tory plans. The first three operators to be cut are Scotrail, Southeastern and GWR. If these plans succeed, stealth destaffing will spread across the country. @rmtunion.bsky.social abcommuters.com/2025/03/07/t...
‘Ticket Office Cuts Round Two’ – UK and Scottish governments revive Tory plans
Industry sources warn that ‘Ticket Office Cuts Round Two’ is about to begin – starting with Scotrail, and ongoing stealth cuts on Southeastern and Great Western Railway (GWR). Currently, ‘all indus…
abcommuters.com
New Campaign launches today, in coalition with Disabled People Against Cuts, National Pensioners Convention and National Federation of the Blind of the UK. Ministers must restore public interest duties to the Great British Railway consultation - here's why 🔽 abcommuters.com/2025/02/28/n...
New Campaign: Ministers must restore public interest duties to Great British Railways consultation
The Association of British Commuters, Disabled People Against Cuts, National Pensioners Convention, and National Federation of the Blind of the UK have made their first challenge to the Secretary o…
abcommuters.com
Absolutely right that GBR dropping public interest duties means much less protection from corporate capture. Public ownership may have begun, but is not safe until its "foundational goals" are also fully in the public interest. A great explanation of this point via @thecanaryuk.bsky.social
The Canary@thecanaryuk.bsky.social · 2y agoStarmer's Great British Railways SHAM finally exposed as a corporate con We only know the extent of the con thanks to the Association of British Commuters - but it's a big one, especially for disabled and poor people. Where the hell is the MSM??? www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/...