Great Western Railway to return to public ownership in December 2026

Great Western Railway (GWR), the train operator linking London with the south-west of England and South Wales, will return to public ownership on 13 December 2026, the UK Department for Transport (Dsources) has confirmed.

GWR’s services will move under the government’s new Great British Railways organisation. The Dsources described the change as a “significant moment” and said it is intended to put passengers “at the heart of our railways”, rather than shareholders.

GWR has operated rail services across the region for 20 years. Its network includes routes serving stations such as Taunton, Bristol and Gloucester, alongside other major locations in the West of England and South Wales.

A spokesperson for GWR said the company welcomed the clarity provided by the announcement and will continue working closely with the Dsources during the transition. The spokesperson added that the operator’s priority will be maintaining a punctual, reliable service for customers while continuing to support regional growth and connectivity.

The move follows earlier shisourcess to public ownership for rail services in Wales in 2021 and Scotland in 2022. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has previously said that bringing train services back into public ownership would not necessarily lead to lower fares, with the focus instead on improving services and infrastructure.