When the Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander MP, stepped up to deliver this year’s George Bradshaw Address earlier this month, not only did she become the first woman ever to deliver the speech - a milestone in its own right - but it was her intent for the railway that stood out: an emphasis on ending the fragmentation that has beset the industry for years; a change in culture, based on collaboration and collective ownership; and a vision of a reliable railway that will soon become a reality.

With the long‑awaited Railways Bill now moving through Parliament, the creation of Great British Railways (GBR) is within touching distance. At the Urban Transport Group (UTG), we have been preparing for this moment for some time, working with our members and government (current and past) to shape rail policy, forging new relationships, and demonstrating what locally‑led partnerships can achieve.

The art of the possible

A key output of this collaborative approach has been a practitioners’ guide to help build partnerships between Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs) and the railway.

The creation of this guide, launched in January, was steered by the UTG-GBR Partnership Liaison Group, which comprises senior officers from Mayoral transport authorities, the Department for Transport’s rail reform function, and the mayoral partnerships team in shadow GBR (a small transitionary function working across the railway as part of reform).

The guide sets out what the “art of the possible” looks like today, even before the Railways Bill passes. It maps the different levers, processes and models available; it shows how to establish productive joint structures; and it illustrates how place‑based priorities can shape everything from service specifications to investment decisions.

But it also highlights the limits of the status quo. That is why the next stage - embedding the role of Mayors and MSAs within the Railways Bill - is so important.

Devolution and rail

For rail to truly succeed, local leaders must have a far stronger say. Mayors and MSAs truly understand their places, their passengers and their priorities. They know where the gaps are and where the opportunities for growth lie. And increasingly, they have clear visions for fully integrated transport networks, in which rail can play a pivotal role.

Earlier in February, the Transport Select Committee acknowledged that the new statutory role for MSAs in the Railways Bill could risk being “too subject to goodwill”. I gave evidence to that Committee late last year, and I also echoed the same points when I appeared before the Public Bill Committee for the Railways Bill in January, alongside Mayors Andy Burnham and Tracy Brabin. If we are to really ensure that GBR is successful and delivers for passengers and freight, it needs to be built on the back of strong partnerships with Mayors and MSAs, and to do that, the face of the Bill needs strengthening, ensuring a meaningful statutory partnership with GBR.

It’s encouraging that the DfT’s Ministerial team recognises this. I recently spoke to Rail Minister Lord Hendy as part of our Urban Transport Next podcast. He told me that “if the Mayor knows what they want out of the railway, the railway’s job is to do it so far as it can.” And in her Bradshaw Address, the Transport Secretary spoke of “strengthened partnerships with mayors and devolved regions”, allowing more decisions to be “taken closer to local communities.”

The challenge for 2026 is making sure the Railways Bill gives that principle real force.

The size of the prize

If you want to see what local leadership on transport can unlock, look no further than Greater Manchester. As regular readers of this column will be aware, I’m a Manchester lad. And while that might indicate some degree of bias, even the most objective of observers would acknowledge that the Bee Network is a shining example of what can be achieved when a city region is given the tools and accountability to shape its own transport future. The integration of trams, franchised buses, active travel options and the Bee Network app; more consistent fares; improved customer information, to name just a few of the positives.

And crucially, work is underway to bring local rail into that integrated system.

This is more than a branding exercise. It is about ensuring rail serves the everyday needs of local workers, students, businesses and communities. It is about reliability, accessibility and equity. It is about ensuring that the railway contributes to the Bee Network’s overarching goals.

Greater Manchester is not alone. Devolved authorities across England have clear plans for more integrated, customer‑centred transport systems. West Yorkshire has an exciting new brand, the Weaver Network, built on the premise of integration - with franchised bus services on the streets of West Yorkshire from 2027. And in South Yorkshire, with the tram already under public control, the next stage in developing an integrated network is through bus franchising, with franchised buses on the roads from late 2027. But they cannot fully deliver those plans without rail becoming part of that integrated system, one that is aligned and engaged with their local ambitions. The Railways Bill is the chance to hardwire that alignment.

What comes next?

At UTG, we will continue to work with members to articulate what effective local leadership in rail looks like. We will continue to engage with officials as the Railways Bill progresses. Indeed, we hope to issue a second iteration of the partnerships guide to help deepen local railway collaboration.

This is a moment of real possibility. After years of debates and reviews (30 since 2006, according to the Transport Secretary!), we finally have a route to a simpler, more accountable railway, one that promises to empower places, deliver for passengers and support national priorities.

The opportunity is there. Our job now is to seize it, so that 2026 truly becomes the year we let rail shine.

Jason Prince is Director of the Urban Transport Group

This piece first appeared in Passenger Transport magazine.