History has been made today (25th May) as South Western Railway (SWR) services become the first to transfer back into public control, ending almost 30 years of fragmentation and waste under privatisation.
Great Western and Cross Country are set to be brought back into public ownership by 2027 or earlier if they fail to meet performance targets.
This follows the passing of the Public Ownership Act in November – one of the first major pieces of legislation to be delivered under the current Government – showing the Government’s commitment to putting an end to unreliable services and private profiteering at the expense of passengers.
Great British Railways won’t just be the name of the new nationally owned railway, it symbolises a complete reset that will mark the high standard of service and delivery the public should expect to receive.
Speaking from South Western Railway’s depot in Bournemouth, the Transport Secretary was clear that operators coming into public ownership will have to earn the right to be called “Great British Railways.” Starting with SWR, each operator will have to meet rigorous, bespoke performance standards on things like punctuality, cancellation and passenger experience, so we can rebuild a world class public service.
Two thirds of Britons have already expressed their support for public ownership, which will save the taxpayer up to £150 million a year in fees alone and ensure every penny can be spent for the benefit of passengers.
Public ownership is a vital step in kickstarting the cultural reset needed to instil a sense of pride back into the railways, moving away from 14 siloed train operators – each with their own staff, incentives and competing commercial motivations -to being managed by one body – Great British Railways – with the sole focus of delivering for the public. The Bill to create Great British Railways will be introduced this year.
By bringing track and train together, Great British Railways will enable operations to run more seamlessly, bringing accountability and reliability back into the railways and in turn helping to reduce delays and cancellations. This will get more people using our trains to travel to work, education and for leisure – boosting both the national and regional economies as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.