Great British Railways: Marketing
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish the business case, cost-benefit assessment and procurement documentation relating to the introduction of the Great British Railways brand.
Answered by Keir Mather
The introduction of the Great British Railways (GBR) brand marks a move to putting passengers and the public interest first. It is being designed to maximise opportunities to grow revenue while ensuring value for money for the taxpayer.
We are also moving away from the frequent brand changes we have previously seen as franchises changed hands every few years under privatisation.
The GBR brand was developed in-house and was designed to minimise unnecessary expenditure. The total cost of the GBR rebrand is being kept to a minimum primarily by aligning the rollout with routine maintenance and renewal cycles, i.e. when trains and assets are due to be repainted or repaired, to minimise unnecessary expenditure and ensure value for money. The recently revealed first two GBR-branded trains were delivered at no additional cost to the public purse.
The business case for GBR sets out the benefits of creating the new organisation. Any procurement process as part of the rollout of the GBR brand will follow applicable public sector requirements.
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