The government has announced that Great Western Railway (GWR) will be nationalised on 13 December, becoming the 11th train operator returned to public ownership since Labour was elected in 2024. The service, which has been privately run for 30 years, mainly by First Group, will transition to state control as part of a broader renationalisation programme.
The Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed the date, which coincides with the introduction of new timetables across the country. GWR connects Paddington station in west London to west and south-west England and south Wales, as well as running services to Oxford and Hereford. The operator has worked closely with the DfT on upgrading the mainline and introducing a new fleet of intercity trains.
Labour passed legislation immediately after its 2024 election victory to renationalise all passenger trains when contractually allowed, a process expected to conclude by the end of 2027. Govia Thameslink Railway, the largest commuter service, is due to be nationalised at the end of May, while Chiltern Railways will follow in September. After GWR’s transition, three operators—Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry and East Midlands Railway—will remain in private hands next year.
A DfT spokesperson said: “This is another significant moment for the government’s flagship public ownership programme and brings a simpler, more reliable network under Great British Railways a step closer. The government is delivering on its commitment to bring services back into public ownership and put passengers, not shareholders, at the heart of our railways.”
Steps have already been taken to integrate train operators and Network Rail where services have returned to public ownership. Great British Railways will be headquartered in Derby, with most daily operations devolved to regions. Southeastern was the first to have a single managing director responsible for both track and train, a model also established at South Western Railway and in Anglia. It is not yet known if GWR will adopt this structure immediately.
