Boris Johnson plans to steal a key Labour policy by taking the rail network back into public ownership to get trains running on time.
His move is aimed at ending the UK-wide rail chaos amid increasing financial failure by private operating firms.
A new national rail body is set to be announced within weeks to bring the system under a single management. It will be the network’s biggest shake-up since privatisation began in the 1990s.
New operators must hit targets on punctuality and customer satisfaction before they can receive revenue from fares. At present, fares go to franchise firms whether they perform well or not.
A new rail tsar, predicted to be ex-Network Rail CEO Andrew Haines, will be appointed to oversee the reform.
The tsar will head a “shadow” group to manage huge changes before the national set-up is created next year.
It has no name yet but the Government wants to avoid negative associations with the old, much-derided British Rail. The body will combine functions of Network Rail, the Department for Transport and the Rail Delivery Group.
Mr Johnson wants to stop short of full nationalisation, under which the Government would own and run all the network.
But he is ready to accept recommendations due this month from an independent review, led by ex-British Airways CEO Keith Williams.
Its proposals are expected to involve a “half-way house” model of public ownership whereby the Government takes control and revenue but returns cash to successfully performing firms.
Operators will switch to the new system as current franchises expire.
The first is expected to be Northern Rail – already taken into public ownership after its financial collapse.
Others include Great Western and South Eastern, whose franchises run out on April 1, and South Western, which lost £137million last year.
Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary Andy McDonald said: “This half-baked plan won’t address the key challenges facing the industry.”
The DfT said: “All new franchise agreements have been prepared to be compatible with changes the Williams report is expected to propose.”
