Is Doncaster's bid at risk over reports Great British Railways project to be scrapped?

The scheme, led by former Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, saw Doncaster as one of six UK towns and cities shortlisted to be the new HQ for the project.

But Shapps has been a vocal critic of new Prime Minister Liz Truss in recent days and according to reports in the i newspaper, a number of projects and policies led by former PM Boris Johnson are now under threat.

The newspaper said Shapps had led plans to replace rail franchising and modernise ticketing – but those working on the project now believe it will be axed.

A Whitehall source told i that work had slowed down significantly since Ms Truss entered No 10, leading to fears over its future amid a bonfire of other Boris Johnson-era policies.

Another claimed the project had been all but halted, with the anticipation within the Department for Transport being that it will be canned.

Plans to simplify tickets and replace the current franchise model with an outsourcing process were proposed under the creation of a new public body,”Great British Railways” .

The proposals – which build upon the Williams Rail Review of 2018 – also outlined more pay as you go, contactless and digital ticketing on smartphones.

When the project was unveiled in May 2021, the Department for Transport said: “A new public body, Great British Railways (GBR), will integrate the railways, owning the infrastructure, collecting fare revenue, running and planning the network, and setting most fares and timetables.

“GBR will simplify the current mass of confusing tickets with new flexible season tickets and a significant roll-out of more convenient Pay As You Go, contactless and digital ticketing on smartphones.

“A new GBR website will sell tickets and a single compensation system for operators in England will provide a simple system for passengers to access information and apply for refunds.

“There will remain a substantial and often greater role for the private sector. GBR will contract private partners to operate most trains to the timetables and fares it specifies.”

When announcing the plans, Mr Shapps hailed the reforms as a remedy for “years of fragmentation, confusion and overcomplication” on the railways.

A source close to Mr Shapps said that they had heard the project could be scrapped but had not received any formal confirmation of a policy change.

In recent weeks, Mr Shapps has become one of the faces of the opposition to Ms Truss’s premiership. Last week, he criticised the Government for not supporting workers on lower incomes and prioritising tax cuts for the richest.

He also told the News Agents podcast at Conservative party conference that Ms Truss needed to turn around her premiership in a matter of days.

Mr Shapps said: “I think it is obvious to say that there is a limited period of time to turn things around from what’s been a choppy, difficult start.

“I think these next few days, by definition, is obviously the key moment. The next 10 days, of course, is a critical period, that goes without saying.

“It doesn’t mean it’s the end moment, one way or the other, it doesn’t mean that time will stop after 10 days.

“But I think it’s really important, if she’s going to turn it around, this is the time to do it.”

The i said that when asked about the plans for Great British Railways, a Department for Transport spokesman declined to comment on the project specifically.

They said: “We are committed to reforming our railways, improving journeys for passengers and creating a better and more modern UK rail industry. We are continuing to work with the sector to tackle the challenges they continue to face as the railway continues to recover from the pandemic.

“We will take forward legislation when parliamentary time allows and further detail on timing of will be confirmed in due course.”