4th December 2024
This milestone marks the beginning of a new era for Britain’s railways, prioritising passengers over profit and setting the standard for future improvements nationwide.
As part of a programme of renationalisation, the service will come under public ownership in May.
SWR is currently operated as a joint venture between FirstGroup and MTR, a Hong Kong rail operator.
The transition to a publicly owned railway will improve reliability and support the government’s number one priority of boosting economic growth by encouraging more people to use the railway.
For years, passengers have suffered unacceptable levels of delays, cancellations and waste seen under decades of failing franchise contracts and will save up to £150 million a year in fees alone by ensuring every penny is spent on services rather than private shareholders, all while coming at no additional cost to the taxpayer.
Max Freedman says, “As someone who commutes into Waterloo from Norbiton every day, I know how poor the service is, with trains regularly running so behind schedule that they go fast through our stations to make up time. It’s clear that our privatised railways have failed passengers while our huge ticket prices pad shareholders’ pockets.
I welcome this Labour government’s determination to sort out our railways, and be willing to be accountable for their performance by bringing South West Railways back into public hands at last. Let’s hope this is the start of getting Britain moving again.”
This government is fixing the foundations and delivering change with reform and investment to deliver growth and rebuild Britain. By bringing train operating companies into public ownership the government will turn the page on decades of delays, fragmentation and failure.
Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said:
“For too long, the British public has had to put up with rail services that simply don’t work. A complex system of private train operators has too often failed its users.
Starting with journeys on South Western Railway, we’re switching tracks by bringing services back under public control to create a reliable rail network that puts customers first.
Our broken railways are finally on the fast track to repairing and rebuilding a system that the British public can trust and be proud of again.”
Local resident, Nick Draper, shares the impact of the historically poor service, and his optimism for the future: “My partner Becky is often left standing in the cold due to cancelled trains. If it was on occasion, fair enough, but it’s pretty much a weekly occurrence. I’ve often had to rescue her from New Malden, Raynes Park, Surbiton, and Wimbledon. She comes home late, tired, and sometimes has to work from home last-minute. It isn’t fair.
But this is a big step towards treating the travelling public with the respect we deserve. I’m confident that in the long term, it’ll make South West London happier and more productive.”
