London North-Western Railway And West Midlands Railway Services Return To Public Ownership.

London; February 2026: On 05th November 2025, the Railways Bill was introduced before Parliament. This landmark legislation will enable the creation of publicly owned Great British Railways (GBR), becoming the single ‘directing mind’ for the railways, bringing track and train together, putting passengers and customers first, rebuilding trust in the railway and operating the majority of passenger services under public ownership and control.

Accordingly, from today, 01st February 2025, the operation of West Midlands Trains (London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway services) has transferred into public ownership and is being managed by DfT Operator Ltd (DFTO). DFTO is the government’s public sector owning group that will manage all train companies as they move into public ownership ahead of the creation of Great British Railways (GBR). 

Public ownership of the railways will deliver an improved experience for passengers by bringing together train operators and the management of the railway’s infrastructure to improve performance, reduce subsidy, promote innovation and improve satisfaction, making the railway better for customers and taxpayers. 

GBR promises to end years of fragmentation and will have a relentless focus on driving up standards for passengers, including simpler fares and ticketing. It will have the independence and tools it needs to deliver improvements to rail services and plan and run the railway on a long-term basis in the interest of its passenger and freight customers and taxpayers.

Instead of having to navigate 14 separate train operators, passengers will once again simply be able to use ‘the railway’. They will travel on GBR trains, running on GBR tracks, and working to a GBR timetable, all run by a single body focused on their interests. That will mean fewer delays, a better experience, and a timetable that better serves their needs.

Meanwhile, the government is working with publicly owned operators to ensure they deliver for passengers and significant progress is already being made:

• South Western Railway has quadrupled the number of its new Aterio trains, increasing capacity by nearly 10%.

• A new East Coast Mainline timetable is being introduced this month to add 10,000 extra LNER services annually, meaning 60,000 more seats a week and more, cheaper tickets available.

• South Eastern Railway has also invested £2 million in video and camera technology to help identify potential faults on the rail network so they can be fixed quickly.

The milestone marks a further step towards creating an integrated rail network that passengers can rely on and be proud of under Great British Railways, which will deliver reliable, safe and more affordable journeys.

This brings the Two Sides of the West Midlands Trains (WMT) business under public ownership: London Northwestern Railway, which operates services between Liverpool and Birmingham and along the West Coast Main Line to and from London Euston and West Midlands Railway, which serves destinations across the West Midlands via Birmingham New Street and Birmingham Snow Hill.

These services power the Midlands’ economy and beyond, connecting people to work, education and opportunities every day. Better connections mean more homes built, more jobs created and stronger local economies from Liverpool to London and across the West Midlands.

WMT is the fourth operator to enter public ownership under the government’s Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act, marking another step towards a simpler, more unified railway under Great British Railways (GBR) and coinciding with the government’s decision to freeze rail fares for the first time in 30 years.

GBR will be accountable to passengers and will drive a relentless focus on responding to their needs. Responsible for coordinating the whole network: from track and train, to cost and revenue. GBR will deliver lasting change and build a railway fit for Britain’s future, owned by the public, for the public.

Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “From this Sunday, the thousands of passengers who travel with London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway will be using services that are owned by the public and run with their interests at heart. We’re working hard to reform a fragmented system and deliver a reliable railway that regenerates communities, rebuilds the trust of its passengers and delivers the high standards they rightly expect”.

Ian McConnell, Managing Director of West Midlands Trains, said: “We are proud to be one of the fastest-growing train operators in the country, with millions of passengers travelling on London Northwestern Railway (LNR) and West Midlands Railway (WMR) services every month. We’ve introduced more than 100 new trains as well as upgrading our depots and station facilities. We’re looking forward to opening five brand new stations later this year and we’re also rolling out ‘Pay-As-You-Go’ ticketing across 75 locations to enable seamless tap-in, tap-out travel for our customers”.

He has further asserted that public ownership is an exciting opportunity to build on this success through a strong culture of collaboration and integration with the wider family of publicly owned operators, while adding, “Together, we can drive performance by sharing best practice and accelerating innovation and continue to deliver even better journeys for our passengers across the LNR and WMR networks. We are now a step further on the journey to Great British Railways, a railway that we can be proud of and one that benefits the passengers and communities we serve”.

Sarah Moorhouse, CEO of Black Country Chamber of Commerce, said: “Rail connectivity is crucial for businesses across the Black Country. Our businesses depend on these services to reach customers, access talent and connect with partners right across the region”, while further commenting that a

strong transport links across the West Midlands drives economic prosperity, attracting investment, support job creation and help communities compete on a regional and national stage.

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “For too long, passengers have had to put up with unreliable and overcrowded trains and a confusing ticket system run by companies that put profit before people. Now we have a government which is delivering on its pledge to take public ownership and fix our broken railways. This is about more than a badge on the side of a train”.

He has further said, “I will be working closely with ministers to improve West Midlands Railway services and raise standards. And with my plans to take back control of our buses making good progress, we have an opportunity to create a truly integrated public transport system offering smooth, reliable and affordable journeys, whether passengers are travelling by train, bus or tram”.

Mal Drury-Rose, Executive Director of the West Midlands Rail Executive, said: “We have a strong record of putting local communities at the heart of decisions about the rail network, and we look forward to continuing that work with government and industry, building on our extensive experience and investment in the region”.

The transfer of West Midlands Railway services provides a clear platform for aligning customer priorities and regional ambitions to raise performance and improve the overall customer experience.

West Midlands Trains’ transfer comes as legislation to establish Great British Railways moves through Parliament, paving the way for a simpler, more unified railway that delivers reliable, safe and more affordable journeys for all.

Tables 3124 and 3138 in the ORR performance data shows on average, publicly owned DfT train operators perform better on punctuality and cancellations than those yet to come under DfT ownership.

Team Maverick.