West Midlands Railway to become publicly-owned
It's part of the Government's programme of transferring rail operators to under the control of the Department for Transport
West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway are to soon transfer to public ownership, under the Government's ongoing plan of moving all operators to becoming under the control of the Department for Transport.
The DfT say the brands are set to transfer to public ownership on 1 February 2026.
West Midlands Trains, who operate both of these services, say they are committed to ensuring a smooth transition to public ownership.
They add customers can be assured this change will not impact train services, timetables or stations.
All ticket validities and conditions of carriage are unaffected.
Ian McConnell, managing director of West Midlands Trains, said: “I am extremely proud of what we have achieved under this franchise, delivering a £1billion investment in two new train fleets and delivering significantly improved performance which has transformed rail travel for millions of customers.
“As we transition to a publicly owned railway, our focus remains on delivering an outstanding service for our passengers.”
Since the start of the West Midlands Trains franchise in 2017, more than 100 new trains have been introduced onto the network, which stretches from Liverpool to London via the West Midlands.
West Midlands Trains also led the successful public transport operation during the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, delivering millions of passenger journeys during the event.