•    South Western Railway’s train services to be the first to come under public control after landmark rail Bill receives Royal Assent
•    c2c will follow suit with its services expected to transition by July 2025, before Greater Anglia’s in autumn 2025
•    Move delivers on manifesto commitment to bring railways under public ownership and puts passengers back at the heart of services after 30 years of privatisation

Plans to overhaul the rail network and put passengers first have been announced today (3rd December) as the Transport Secretary reveals South Western Railway’s services will be the first to transfer into public ownership next year. 

The move comes just days after one of the Government’s first major pieces of legislation, the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act 2024, received Royal Assent, paving the way for a major shake-up of Britain’s railways.  

The transition to a publicly owned railway will improve reliability and support the Government’s number one priority of boosting economic growth by encouraging more people to use the railway.
It will also clamp down on unacceptable levels of delays, cancellations, and waste seen under decades of failing franchise contracts, and will save up to £150 million a year in fees alone by ensuring every penny is spent on services rather than private shareholders, all while coming at no additional cost to the taxpayer.

The announcement will see services across a wide area of southern England and East Anglia come back into public control by autumn 2025 and delivers on manifesto commitment to bring contracts with existing operators into public ownership as they expire without costing taxpayers a penny in compensation.

The Transport Secretary has also announced that publicly run services will be managed by DfT Operator Limited previously known as DfT Operator of Last Resort Holdings Limited (DOHL), whose functions will eventually be integrated into Great British Railways. The DfT’s Operator will continue to focus on transforming Britain’s railways into a more reliable, affordable, and accessible system.
The organisation will focus on improving operations and financial sustainability, and transforming Britain’s railways into a more reliable, affordable, accessible system.   

While the announcement marks a major change, the Government’s first priority is ensuring the transition process is thorough and delivers the best outcomes for passengers. Allowing several months lead-in to each transfer will ensure there will be no adverse impact on passengers during this time, who will still be able to purchase their tickets as before, with railway staff assisting as usual. 

The Department expects the transfer of all passenger services operated under contracts with the Department for Transport to complete over the next three years. 

Under the Government’s broader plans to reform the railways, Great British Railways (GBR) will bring track and train together under one directing mind, with a relentless focus on improving services for passengers and customers. Until legislation for this is in place, Shadow GBR will make progress on ensuring the sector works together better under a publicly owned railway.
In the new year, the Government will be setting out plans for how Shadow GBR will be delivering on its initial priorities, including how it will be moving the network towards greater financial sustainability and delivering for passengers.

The Department is also working on plans with operators and Network Rail to display performance information at stations – this will provide passengers with transparency and will allow the public to hold the rail industry and the Department to account for delivery. 

Immediate improvements have also been delivered at Euston Station through a five-point plan to reduce overcrowding and deliver a better experience for passengers. This has included a review into passenger information, including the shutdown of overhead advertising boards, and a trial of early boarding of services – with more updates to come later this month.

Further information:
https://dft-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/first-train-services-to-return-to-public-ownership-revealed