C2C rail services to enter public ownership as part of Great British Railways rollout

Credit: Department for Transport

From Sunday 20 July, train services operated by c2c between Fenchurch Street and Shoeburyness will transfer to public ownership, becoming the second operator brought under state control through recent legislation. The move forms part of the Government’s Plan for Change and a broader transition towards Great British Railways, aiming to unify track and train operations and create a more reliable, efficient service.

Public ownership of c2c supports the Great British Railways rollout and aims to improve sustainable passenger services

The Department for Transport Operator (DFTO) will now run six operators, c2c joins Northern, TransPennine Express, Southeastern, LNER and South Western Railway, accounting for around 40% of all passenger journeys. The shift to public control is designed to simplify travel, cut costs and improve service delivery. Passengers already benefit from cross-ticket acceptance and improved connectivity between publicly owned networks, with over 15,000 joint bookings made across Northern and TransPennine Express since June 2024.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “Whether you’re shopping in Lakeside or walking along the beach in Southend-on-Sea, from this Sunday you will be able to get there on a train service run by the public, for the public.” She added that public ownership is addressing cost inefficiencies and fragmentation in the network.

c2c Managing Director Rob Mullen stated: “We now have a golden opportunity to collaborate with the wider family of publicly owned operators… to drive even more improvements for the people and places we all serve.”

Public ownership is projected to save taxpayers up to £150 million a year in fees and is supported by two-thirds of the public. The Railways Bill, due to be introduced later in 2025, will formally establish Great British Railways. Greater Anglia’s services are next to transfer to public ownership in October. Until then, state-run operators will need to meet strict performance criteria on punctuality and customer satisfaction.