Member

We want to reduce, rather than increase, the fragmentation of the railway network. The large number of different players in this industry is at the heart of the problem we need to solve. The noble Baroness, Lady Randerson, is right that, sadly, the railway geography of this country means very few railway services are wholly within one local authority area, a mayoral or combined authority area, or even, as she observes, in one country—you cross between England and Wales if you go from Chester to Newport; I think you cross the boundary 12 times, and it is a lovely journey.