UK government vows to compete in online rail retail market By Investing.com

LONDON – The UK Department for Transport (DFT) has today announced its commitment to maintaining a competitive environment for online rail ticket retail following the establishment of Great British Rail (GBR). The DfT has confirmed that GBR will strengthen individual rail operators’ ticketing websites as the private sector continues to grow through the open market.

The DFT statement comes ahead of an industry-wide consultation on the rail reform bill, which is set to begin in the coming weeks. This bill aims to establish the GBR as the central governing body for passenger rail services in the UK. The transition to the new structure is expected to last several years.

Jodie Ford, CEO of the UK’s leading travel app Rail (NYSE: ), said she supports the government’s clear stance on market competition and the role of private sector innovation in the rail industry. Railways has a 25-year history of serving 18 million customers with high customer trust scores and developing user-friendly solutions.

A DFT spokeswoman praised the government’s commitment to a strong private sector that would drive innovation and growth and ultimately encourage more people to use rail transport. The spokesperson also indicated the government’s desire to work closely with industry players and the private sector to achieve these goals.

The DfT’s full update on the future of online rail retail is available on the UK Government website. This announcement is based on a press release issued by Trainline plc.

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