Anonymousabout 2 hours ago
The UK government has confirmed that Great Western Railway, owned by FirstGroup, will transfer to public ownership on 13 December 2026 — making it the 11th operator to be renationalised under Labour's Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act 2024. The programme, which began in May 2025, is set to bring all Department for Transport-contracted operators under the new Great British Railways umbrella by the end of 2027, with the government claiming savings of up to £150 million per year by eliminating shareholder dividends and contract competition costs, though Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has warned that lower fares are not guaranteed.