A state-owned umbrella for Britain's rail infrastructure and most passenger services
CrossCountry’s Birmingham power outage has crippled rail services nationwide, with near-normal operations only for Peterborough–Cambridge–Stansted. Tickets remain valid across operators, and rail replacement buses are in place as major routes face ongoing cancellations and delays.
Thameslink trains will receive upgraded seat cushions, backrests and tables over two years from 2027 as part of the post-nationalisation rail improvements. The move follows Govia Thameslink Railwayalling under public ownership earlier this year.
Liverpool city region has begun bringing bus services back under public control, starting in St Helens. Fares stay capped at £2, and the network aims to increase frequency, improve evening and weekend services, and better connect hospitals and rail links.
Disruptions will now allow passengers with valid tickets to travel on other operators’ trains within two hours of cancellations, with automatic swaps on major routes as Great British Railways moves forward.
Avanti West Coast is being brought into public ownership in March as part of a Labour-led plan to take essential rail services into public hands amid ongoing disruption and a push to improve punctuality, capacity and passenger experience.
Government weighs public ownership of rolling stock as unions press for a levy on profits to fund fare cuts. Latest accounts show Roscos paid large dividends and executive pay, fueling calls for state ownership of trains as Great British Railways prepares to take charge.