Government confirms nationalisation of Greater Anglia, despite its strong performance and contribution to the Treasury

The UK Government has confirmed its decision to nationalise Greater Anglia, despite the operator’s exceptional performance. As the UK’s most punctual train operator and the current Train Operator of the Year, Greater Anglia stands out as one of the few railways that generate income for the Treasury.

Infrastructure improvements and workforce continuity as Greater Anglia transitions to public ownership

The Government had other valid options for nationalisation, making this decision particularly disappointing, given Greater Anglia’s success in outperforming other railways and contributing financially to taxpayers. There are concerns that nationalising Greater Anglia could slow down service improvements and impact taxpayer revenue, especially with the yet-to-be-established Great British Railways, whose functions currently fall under the temporary DfT Operator.

Despite this, Greater Anglia is committed to ensuring a smooth transition to public ownership, planned for October. The operator also reassured passengers that it will continue delivering safe, punctual, and effective services for East Anglia. All current employees will remain in their roles.

Greater Anglia, under Transport UK ownership, has made significant strides, including a £2bn investment programme and the introduction of a new fleet of bi-mode trains. The operator’s environmental performance and community impact have been key areas of improvement. Notably, punctuality has soared from 16th place to 1st in the UK by 2024.

Dominic Booth, CEO of Transport UK, expressed pride in the company’s stewardship of Greater Anglia:

“I’m incredibly proud of our stewardship of Greater Anglia. For the third year running, Greater Anglia won an unprecedented three Golden Whistles for punctuality and was named Passenger Operator of the Year at the National Rail Awards. This is a testament to the whole team’s hard work and commitment to delivering the highest-quality services possible for our passengers. Our task now is to ensure that we oversee a smooth transition into public ownership and support the Government with its wider agenda of rail reform.”