2026 is shaping up to be a defining year for Britain’s railways, as the transition towards Great British Railways gathers pace and publicly owned train operators set out ambitious plans to improve performance, capacity and customer experience, according to the DfT Operator.
The seven operators already in public ownership are entering the new year with clear priorities, building on a period of significant change during 2025 and positioning themselves at the forefront of rail reform.
Northern will press ahead with its ‘30 by 30’ strategy, launched late last year, which aims to grow annual passenger journeys by 30 million by the end of the decade. The plan is rooted in data-led decision making, focusing on improved performance, targeted interventions and organic demand growth, with each strand expected to contribute around 10 million additional journeys.
South Western Railway is preparing for a major step-change in capacity and reliability, with three-quarters of its planned Arterio timetable due to be in place by the end of summer 2026. Since moving into public ownership in May 2025, the roll-out of the new fleet has gathered pace, with 30 trains already in service delivering a 12% increase in weekday suburban capacity into London Waterloo during the morning peak.
At Southeastern, attention will remain on modernising and renewing the fleet. All 36 Class 376 trains are undergoing a mid-life interior and exterior refurbishment, alongside upgrades to the high-speed Class 395s. Work is also progressing on plans to replace the ageing Metro fleet, a long-standing priority for the operator and its passengers.
For c2c, 2026 will see continued investment in stations, with Barking a particular focus. A new ticket office and gateline have already opened, while refurbishment of the lifts on platforms one and two is under way. The work will ease congestion, improve accessibility and restore architectural features at London’s only Grade II-listed 1950s railway station.
Greater Anglia is set to concentrate on sustaining strong performance while delivering a series of station improvements with partners. Key milestones include the opening of Cambridge South station this summer, a new accessible footbridge at Stowmarket, and completion of the Wickford station upgrade. Closer working with c2c and Network Rail Anglia is also expected to unlock further customer benefits.
LNER enters 2026 with an expanded timetable that is already reshaping connectivity along the East Coast. Thousands of additional services and seats are being introduced, with the operator estimating £105 million a year in added economic, social and environmental value for the regions it serves.
Meanwhile, TransPennine Express will continue rolling out dedicated Police Community Support Officers across its network. The PCSOs provide a visible, approachable presence, supporting staff with low-level incidents and acting as a direct link to the British Transport Police. Five are already in place, with three more joining in February.
These plans follow a transformative year in 2025, when c2c, South Western Railway and Greater Anglia all transferred into public ownership. Publicly owned operators also introduced a new cross-operator ticket acceptance scheme to keep passengers moving during disruption, and expanded the availability of Advance Purchase fares covering journeys involving more than one operator.
The move into public ownership is set to continue in 2026. West Midlands Trains, operating London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway services, will transfer on Sunday 1 February, followed by Govia Thameslink Railway – which runs Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express – on Sunday 31 May.
With further operators due to follow and Great British Railways legislation progressing, the year ahead is expected to mark a decisive shift in how Britain’s railways are run, with publicly owned operators playing a central role in shaping a more joined-up, passenger-focused network.
