Rail firm Greater Anglia transfers to public ownership

Greater Anglia has become the country's first rail operator to enter public ownership as part of the government's renationalization of the network. The company operates trains from Cambridge, Ipswich, Norwich, Colchester, and London, as well as Stansted Airport, Peterborough, Hertford, and smaller ones. Half of all rail operators are publicly owned, which Greater Anglia described as another step toward a more united network of Great British Railways after its transfer on Sunday.

Passengers travelling into Norwich or going out for a day in Cambridge will be travelling on buses that are run by the public and run with their interests in mind,

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said.

"We're updating a fragmented system and laying the groundwork for a more efficient, efficient, and accountable railway, one that prioritizes passengers and delivers the same high quality that passengers rightly expect.

Last week Greater Anglia, which handled 81. At the National Transport Awards, 8 million passenger journeys in 2024-25 were named Rail Operator of the Year. The Department of Transportation (DfT) confirmed that the company, with government help, will continue to provide regional growth. Two new stations are opening — Beaulieu Park innorth Chelmsford this month and Cambridge Southearly next year — and the operator has acquired a new fleet of bi-mode trains.

Martin Beable, Greater Anglia's managing director, said the move was a exciting opportunity to capitalize on the company's success.

We'll be sharing experience, drive innovation, and produce even better journeys for our passengers around the Anglia region by working more closely with the wider family of publicly owned operators,

he said.

This change brings us one step closer to Great British Railways - a more unified network with passengers at its heart.

We can create a railway that promotes growth, sustainability, and pride for the communities we serve and right across the United Kingdom. Greater Anglia has joined c2c, Northern, TransPennine Express, Southeastern, LNER, and South Western Railway, which are now operated by DfT Operator Limited (DFTO) on behalf of the government. According to the DfT, West Midlands Trains will return to the state on February 1st, followed by Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) on May 31th, with Chiltern Railways and Great Western Railways following.

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