Member

Secondly, London TravelWatch is accountable to and funded by the London Assembly, rather than the Department for Transport, which sponsors and funds the Passengers’ Council as well as being the sponsoring Whitehall department for National Rail. London TravelWatch’s public accountability, combined with its independence from the department, is a really important factor in its ability to champion the interests of passengers in that wider London area effectively. Ensuring that the Bill includes explicit reference to, as I call it, London TravelWatch—the LTUC—as a consultee alongside the Passengers’ Council would therefore offer us a really important opportunity to strengthen the overall independence of the passenger voice in future railway decision-making.