West Midlands Trains, which operates as London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway, will move into public ownership on Sunday 1 February 2026. In a written statement to the House of Lords on 30 January, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill confirmed operations will be run by WM Trains Limited, a subsidiary of public corporation DfT Operator Limited. With this transfer, eight of the 14 train operators managed by the Department for Transport will be state‑run. (gov.uk)
The Department for Transport also set out the next steps. Govia Thameslink Railway is scheduled to transfer on 31 May 2026, with the intention that Chiltern Railways and Great Western Railway will follow; formal expiry notices will confirm dates once final decisions are made. (gov.uk)
These transfers are enabled by the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act 2024, which received Royal Assent on 28 November 2024. The Act amends the Railways Act 1993 to prohibit new franchises or franchise term extensions, allowing passenger services to be provided by public sector companies as private contracts expire. (legislation.gov.uk)
Structural reform is proceeding alongside the ownership changes. The Railways Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 5 November 2025 and is now before a Public Bill Committee, which first met on 20 January 2026 and is expected to report by Thursday 12 February 2026 before remaining stages. (gov.uk)
Subject to passage, the bill would establish Great British Railways (GBR) as a publicly owned body headquartered in Derby. GBR would run passenger services, manage rail infrastructure, take day‑to‑day decisions on timetables and network access, and sell tickets. The Office of Rail and Road would monitor performance and hold an independent appeals role over access and charging decisions. (gov.uk)
The bill would also create a strengthened passenger watchdog by building on Transport Focus. The watchdog would be able to demand information from operators, set and monitor minimum standards for complaint handling, delay compensation and travel information, and provide independent dispute resolution through the Rail Ombudsman. London TravelWatch would retain responsibilities in the London area with enhanced investigatory powers. (gov.uk)
Ticketing reform is central to the programme. Under the future model, GBR would become a central retailer, replacing the multiple websites and apps currently run by DfT‑contracted operators with a single high‑quality website and app, alongside in‑person retail. Independent retailers would continue under an ORR‑regulated code of practice to ensure a fair market. (gov.uk)
Devolution is explicitly provided for. The bill would give devolved governments and England’s mayors a statutory role in GBR’s decision‑making, require memoranda of understanding with Scotland and Wales, and enable locally tailored partnerships. In principle, GBR and Transport for Wales will form an enduring partnership with a dedicated Wales and Borders business unit, while arrangements in Scotland would provide for integrated management accountable to Scottish ministers. (gov.uk)
The government has also announced a one‑year freeze in regulated rail fares from March 2026-the first in 30 years-with savings expected across more than a billion journeys. (gov.uk)