• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Monday May 11 2026

GWR to be renationalised, government confirms

Great Western Railway is set to return to public ownership in December 2026, in one of the biggest milestones yet in the government’s rail renationalisation programme.

The move will make GWR the 11th operator brought back under state control since Labour came to power in 2024, and it comes as ministers press ahead with plans to fold most passenger services into Great British Railways by the end of 2027.

The Department for Transport has said GWR’s contract will end on 13 December 2026, with services transferring to a new publicly owned operator before being integrated into Great British Railways.

GWR, which runs trains between London, the West Country and South Wales, has been privately operated for around 30 years, most recently under FirstGroup.

The renationalisation is part of a broader Labour policy to bring passenger rail franchises back into public hands as contracts expire.

The government has already taken several operators into public ownership and says the final privately run services will follow in stages through 2027.

Officials argue that a single public body will help simplify management, improve coordination between track and train, and restore passenger confidence.

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander – who is also MP for Swindon South – has signalled that the change is about service quality rather than immediate fare cuts, warning last year that renationalisation would not necessarily make tickets cheaper.

Instead, ministers are promising a longer-term shake-up of how Britain’s railways are run, with Great British Railways expected to act as the system’s “directing mind” once legislation is complete.

A spokesperson for the Department for Transport 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.”

Welcoming the move, Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said: “I’m sure everyone in the West who – like me – catches the train will welcome this news.

“We need a transport network which works, and putting the trains back under public ownership will put people’s needs at the heart of Great British Railways.

“Like the three-quarters of a billion pounds already secured from the government for better transport for the West of England, this is a big deal and must make a difference that people can see and feel.”