Commenting on the government’s announcement that Govia was to operate the West Midlands franchise from November 11, RMT general secretary Bob Crow today said:

“Rail franchising is a failed policy that delivers only fragmentation, short-term thinking and massive fares hikes.

“Govia are going to be handed over £1.1 billion of public money over the next eight years, and far too much of it will end up in shareholders’ bank accounts.

“Every penny the private sector allegedly invests in the railways comes ultimately from the pockets of passengers and taxpayers, and they have the right to expect that every penny is invested in better services, not siphoned off as profits.

“Rail privatisation has proved itself incapable of delivering the growing railway that our economy and environment need,” Bob Crow said.