B1245 words1:36News Report American AccentPublished May 8, 2026 · Updated May 8, 2026

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Great Western Railway Will Return to Public Ownership in December

The British government has announced that Great Western Railway will be nationalised on 13 December.

The train operator has been run by private companies for about 30 years.

It will become the 11th railway service that has been returned to public ownership since the Labour government came to power in 2024.

When Labour won the election, new legislation was passed to bring all passenger train services back under government control.

This process of nationalization is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.

The Department for Transport confirmed that the change for Great Western Railway will happen when new timetables take effect across the country.

Great Western Railway connects Paddington station in west London to cities in south-west England and south Wales.

The operator has worked closely with the government in recent years to upgrade the mainline and introduce new intercity trains.

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A Department for Transport spokesperson said that this is another significant moment for the government's railway policy.

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Several other railway operators are also being nationalised this year.

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Govia Thameslink Railway, which is the biggest commuter service in the country, is due to return to public ownership at the end of May.

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Chiltern Railways will be nationalised in September.

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After these changes, only three private train operators will remain: Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, and East Midlands Railway.

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Their business operations are expected to transfer to public ownership before the end of next year.

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