News

Train operators in public ownership are marking World Hearing Day (Tuesday 3 March) by highlighting initiatives that have improved the travel experience for deaf, hard‑of‑hearing and British Sign Language (BSL)‑using passengers.

Great British Railways (GBR) will put passengers back at the heart of the railways, delivering a safe, sustainable and high-performing network that delivers value for money and a consistently better experience for customers, according to DfT Operator (DFTO) chief executive, Alex Hynes.

A new Head of Integrated Data Strategy has been appointed to work across Greater Anglia and GBRX. The cross-cutting role will bring together fragmented data sets and make them usable so operators can deliver more improvements for their customers. 

To mark National Apprenticeship Week 2026 (9 – 15 February) publicly owned operators are leading the way in driving take up of apprenticeships in the rail industry.

From 1 February 2026, passengers who travel with London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway will benefit from reliable and better-connected services.

Train operators in public ownership say the roll-out of body-worn camera (BWC) kits has become vital to increasing safety, deterring anti-social behaviour and supporting legal investigations into incidents on the rail network.

Stations backed by investment see significant footfall increases from Thanet Parkway in Kent to Darlington in the North East of England.

Richard George and Sir Andrew Haines bring extensive experience to help improve passenger experience and operational performance we will see under Great British Railways.

2026 looks set to be a landmark year for the rail industry as the journey towards Great British Railways accelerates - and the seven train operators already in public ownership are leading the charge, with a range bold plans for the year ahead.

Mark Robinson has been appointed Chief Information Officer (CIO) of DfT Operator (DFTO) - the government body bringing all privately-owned train operators into public ownership.

A new rail timetable came into effect across the UK yesterday (Sunday, 14 December) with more than 76,000 extra seats per week on publicly-owned train operators.

Passengers will get their first look at the future of Britain’s railways, as branding for Great British Railways (GBR) is unveiled and landmark legislation to reform the railway is debated in Parliament.