The UK Department for Transport (DfT) has revealed the next three train operating companies whose services will transfer into public ownership.
After Greater Anglia’s services transfer on 12 October 2025, West Midlands Trains services will then follow on 1 February 2026, before Govia Thameslink Railway’s services on 31 May 2026.
This means by the middle of next year, 8 in 10 passenger rail journeys that DfT is responsible for will be owned by the public.
Chiltern Railways and Great Western Railways services are then expected to follow, with the UK secretary of state of transport due to make final decisions on when exactly this will happen in due course.
All passenger services operating under contracts with the department are expected to return to public ownership by the end of 2027 and will eventually be integrated into Great British Railways (GBR).
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DfT stated that legislation to establish GBR, the new public company which will take responsibility for the daily operations of the railways, will be introduced this Parliamentary session.
Services are being transferred to GBR after contracts reach the end of their minimum term, with the operators then under new standards with the aim of rebuilding the rail industry.
Lastly, publicly owned operating companies Southeastern and LNER are reportedly delivering some of the lowest cancellation rates nationally .
South Western Railway has also tripled the number of new trains in service in the four months since it came under public ownership.
Achievements and innovations in public transport planning will be recognised and celebrated at the fourth annual CiTTi Awards on 25 November 2025 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector!
