UK cities call for devolution of rail services

The Urban Transport Group—the UK's network of city region transport authorities—has called for the Williams Rail Review to place more emphasis on the devolution of control over regional and urban rail services.

The organisation, which represents seven major transport authorities covering over 20 million people, believes the problems associated with the UK rail industry are not being addressed by the current centralised system.

"Devolved authorities and administrations are far more accountable and responsive to the needs of both passengers and communities than officials sitting hundreds of miles away in Whitehall," said Jonathan Bray, Director of the Urban Transport Group. "They are als...