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Great British Railways
Great British Railways (GBR) is a planned state-owned railway company that will operate most rail infrastructure and the majority of passenger rail services in Great Britain, alongside devolved and open-access operators.
It will be established with the passing of the forthcoming Railways Bill, as part of the Starmer government's plans not to renew the contracts of private train operating companies. It will absorb the functions of Network Rail (thus it will own and manage most railway infrastructure – stations, track and signalling), the Rail Delivery Group, the DfT Operator, parts of the Department for Transport (DfT), and each of the passenger service franchises as their contracts expire.
In 2024, the Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh, set up a Shadow Great British Railways to prepare for the organisation's formal establishment. The chair of the shadow body is Laura Shoaf.
The Railways Bill, the legislation to establish Great British Railways, was introduced to Parliament in November 2025.
Funding of GBR will follow the pattern established for Network Rail, with funding and deliverables determined every five years. For England and Wales, the Secretary of State (in consultation with Welsh Government ministers) will issue a high-level specification and a statement of funds available, and GBR will respond with a five-year business plan. This process will be mirrored in Scotland, where the Scottish Government commissions ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper services and funds rail infrastructure.
Prior to GBR, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) controlled Network Rail's funding and held that body to account for its performance. Proposals by the UK Government in February 2025 envisage reducing ORR's role to assessing GBR's business plans, monitoring major changes during the five-year cycle, and responding to appeals against GBR's decisions. The role of ORR in approving train operators' access to the network, and selling access rights, would be transferred to GBR.
GBR will be responsible for the operational delivery of the railways in the existing areas of Network Rail, i.e., England, Scotland and Wales. This will include passenger services; planning timetables; operation and maintenance of rolling stock; setting fares; and managing access to the network, including setting charges for existing and future open access operators. Outside the scope of GBR are NI Railways, Transport for London, Merseyrail, ScotRail, and Transport for Wales Rail, as well as light rail and tram services.
At the same time, GBR will assume the existing responsibilities of Network Rail, to become the owner and manager of most railway infrastructure, including track and stations, across Great Britain.
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Great British Railways
Great British Railways (GBR) is a planned state-owned railway company that will operate most rail infrastructure and the majority of passenger rail services in Great Britain, alongside devolved and open-access operators.
It will be established with the passing of the forthcoming Railways Bill, as part of the Starmer government's plans not to renew the contracts of private train operating companies. It will absorb the functions of Network Rail (thus it will own and manage most railway infrastructure – stations, track and signalling), the Rail Delivery Group, the DfT Operator, parts of the Department for Transport (DfT), and each of the passenger service franchises as their contracts expire.
In 2024, the Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh, set up a Shadow Great British Railways to prepare for the organisation's formal establishment. The chair of the shadow body is Laura Shoaf.
The Railways Bill, the legislation to establish Great British Railways, was introduced to Parliament in November 2025.
Funding of GBR will follow the pattern established for Network Rail, with funding and deliverables determined every five years. For England and Wales, the Secretary of State (in consultation with Welsh Government ministers) will issue a high-level specification and a statement of funds available, and GBR will respond with a five-year business plan. This process will be mirrored in Scotland, where the Scottish Government commissions ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper services and funds rail infrastructure.
Prior to GBR, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) controlled Network Rail's funding and held that body to account for its performance. Proposals by the UK Government in February 2025 envisage reducing ORR's role to assessing GBR's business plans, monitoring major changes during the five-year cycle, and responding to appeals against GBR's decisions. The role of ORR in approving train operators' access to the network, and selling access rights, would be transferred to GBR.
GBR will be responsible for the operational delivery of the railways in the existing areas of Network Rail, i.e., England, Scotland and Wales. This will include passenger services; planning timetables; operation and maintenance of rolling stock; setting fares; and managing access to the network, including setting charges for existing and future open access operators. Outside the scope of GBR are NI Railways, Transport for London, Merseyrail, ScotRail, and Transport for Wales Rail, as well as light rail and tram services.
At the same time, GBR will assume the existing responsibilities of Network Rail, to become the owner and manager of most railway infrastructure, including track and stations, across Great Britain.