South Western Railway returns to public ownership under new Great British Railways reform plan

Credit: Department for Transport

On 25 May 2025, South Western Railway (SWR) became the first operator to return to public control under the new Public Ownership Act, ending nearly 30 years of rail privatisation. The move marks the start of a broader transformation under Great British Railways, a new nationally owned body set to bring track and train operations under one roof.

Details on South Western Railway

Speaking at SWR’s Bournemouth depot, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:

“Today is a watershed moment in our work to return the railways to the service of passengers. Trains from Waterloo to Weymouth, Bournemouth and Exeter will be run by the public, for the public.

But I know that most users of the railway don’t spend much time thinking about who runs the trains – they just want them to work. That’s why operators will have to meet rigorous performance standards and earn the right to be called Great British Railways.

We have a generational opportunity to restore national pride in our railways and I will not waste it.”

Operators like SWR will now have to meet bespoke standards covering punctuality, cancellations and passenger satisfaction. According to government data, public ownership will save taxpayers up to £150 million a year, as private operator fees are removed and funds redirected to improve services.

The formation of Great British Railways will address decades of fragmentation. Fourteen separate operators with their own incentives will be replaced by a unified structure focused solely on public benefit. All contracts will return to public hands by the end of 2027, once existing agreements end or can be terminated at no extra cost.

Lawrence Bowman, Managing Director of South Western Railway, commented:

“I’m excited to join and lead the excellent team at South Western Railway… Moving into public ownership will make it easier for them to do so.

My immediate priority is to work with colleagues to develop a plan for SWR… to deliver improvements in reliability and an increase in capacity.”

Ben Plowden, CEO of Campaign for Better Transport, added:

“Today marks a turning point for Britain’s railways… and puts passengers and freight operators first.”

The 06.14am service from Waterloo was the first to operate under public ownership, marked by new ‘Coming soon’ logos on trains and digital displays across SWR stations.