The new UK government under Labour is planning to re-nationalise rail transport as quickly as possible. This was announced on 17th July 2024 as part of a comprehensive reform of public transport. New legislation is to be introduced to create a simplified rail system by transferring franchised services to public ownership as soon as their contracts expire or if operators fail to fulfil their obligations. Most existing railway contracts expire by the end of 2025, but some extend into the 2030s. According to internal sources, the government could use exit clauses to bring services back into public ownership sooner. The goal is to finalise the change by 2029, with a state shadow operator being set up immediately.
