The creation of Great British Railways (GBR) marks the railways’ most significant structural change since privatisation in 1994. The 2026 Devolution Act expands combined authorities’ powers, and for transport marks a material shift to a more coherent, long-term approach. These changes place GBR and the combined authorities directly into each others’ spheres of influence.
Instances of combined authorities’ guiding hand over the railway’s operation and infrastructure already exist. Transport for London – for which the Mayor of London has overall control – contracts and manages London Overground and Elizabeth Line services and is responsible for the East London Line and Crossrail Central Operation Section infrastructure. Merseytravel, which operates on behalf of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority contracts and manages Merseyrail Electrics train services.
Preparing for GBR
This influence over the railways will grow as a result of the Devolution Act, which gives mayoral strategic authorities a statutory role in governing, managing, planning and developing the rail network. One signal of how the combined authorities might respond to this and the creation of GBR is the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) and the rail industry. Other similar combined authority/GBR MoUs are in development.
The MoU brings together key rail partners operating in WYCA’s region including Network Rail, and publicly owned operators Northern Rail, TransPennine Express and LNER and gives the combined authority a much more direct role in shaping rail services, station investment and network integration ahead of GBR coming into operation, rather than waiting for formal rail reform to take effect. Partners are committed to a joint programme running until 2028 covering station upgrades, accessibility, new stations, service improvements and integration with the Weaver Network – which WYCA owns and operates.
From a railway’s perspective one of the consequences of GBR’s formation, and the combined authorities increased influence over the railway, is that according to Rail Minister Peter Hendy, “Mayors are the people we will do things with, not do things to.”
GBR on combined authorities
A senior rail industry source has described the combined authorities as GBR’s customers. In preparation for this Network Rail and GBR transition teams have been instructed to pursue funding from combined authorities, with each GBR Integrated Business Unit having a single point of contact with their respective combined authorities.
The burgeoning relationship between GBR and the combined authorities is expected to encourage greater multimodal thinking that simultaneously puts placemaking at the centre of design. Integrated regional transport as an enabler of growth is a priority most combined authorities share, and many have local partners keen to invest in stations and connectivity. Projects with partner funding are more likely to be prioritised; leading to a scenario in which GBR has the potential to become a vehicle through which combined authorities spend their capital budgets.
In addition to improved and better integrated multi-modal transport networks, combined authorities will also be looking to rail investments linked directly to their broader regional growth, employment and housing priorities. This ambition is supported by the Devolution Act, which strengthens the link between transport and wider placemaking powers. Impetus also comes from the Social Value Procurement Policy Note 026 which sets a 10 percent social value weighting on contracts between £1million and £5 million and a 20 percent weighting on contracts upwards of £5 million. The model seeks to prioritise jobs, skills and local economic impact.
Collaborative placemaking
Potentially, then, GBR/combined authority projects are a step towards the sort of transport enabled development articulated in London Transport Interchanges 2026 Liveable by Design report. Transit is a catalyst or enabler, but not necessarily the organising principle behind the district or community.
The potential to boost housing stock is likely to be a significant component of such GBR/combined authority projects. Providing new homes is central to most combined authorities’ programmes, and the railway has the potential to support this.
One conclusion of the Railway Industry Association’s 2025 Unlocking Station Potential report was that, “Stations and the railway have a proven link to the development and realisation of sustainable homes. This enabling contribution is positive for meeting a national priority.” The report stressed the importance of inter-modal connectivity in achieving this.
The new National Planning Policy Framework further supports this ambition with an order for councils to have a “default yes” approach to housing developments that are within a reasonable walking distance of well-connected train and tram stations.
At Octavius we are seeing a clear link between many of our transport infrastructure projects, both rail, road and multi-modal, and unlocking new housing:
- Charfield Station: 525 homes proposed by the new station development, 650 more homes planned; a West of England Mayoral Combined Authority project
- Manchester Victoria Northeast Gateway: Cycle, pedestrian and road enhancements a precursor to the Manchester Victoria North 15,000 home new town; a Greater Manchester Combined Authority project
- Okehampton Interchange: More than 400 new homes built, permitted or identified in the new station’s vicinity
- A1331 Link Road Phase One: Unlocks over 9,000 future homes within a planned, infrastructure-first framework
All of this helps illustrate that against a backdrop of constrained public finances, ageing assets and growing pressure to support the Government’s growth, housing and devolution agenda, the organisations best positioned for success will be those that support both GBR’s national objectives and the increasingly influential priorities of the combined authorities.
We hope you found this helpful, here is some more information you might find valuable:
Talk to us
Contact us at transformative@octavius.co.uk if you want to know more about the way in which we can support combined authorities’ transport strategies.