Metro mayors to control rail services under unprecedented England devolution plans

White paper paves way for London-style contactless-payment travel networks and unitary authorities to replace two-tier county and district councils

Mayors of big cities and regions across England will be able to take control of rail services for the first time so they can tailor them to their areas’ economic needs, under devolution plans to be announced by ministers on Monday.

A white paper to be unveiled by the deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, will pave the way for metro mayors to take a role in governing, managing, planning and developing the rail network.