The government has introduced legislation to bring passenger services back into public ownership. Services will transition as existing contracts come to an end or reach their contractual break point as part of a rolling programme, commencing once the bill has Royal Assent. The government has also announced in the King’s Speech that it will bring forward further legislation to create Great British Railways (GBR) – a new arms-length body which will act as a “directing mind” for the railways and ensure the highest standards of customer service and operational performance. It will focus on delivering for passengers and freight customers. The government is committed to delivering a unified and simplified governance structure for the railways, alongside passenger train services under public ownership, with the objective of providing improved services for passengers and better value for money for taxpayers. This model will address current disincentives by ensuring costs and revenue across infrastructure and operations are aligned to optimise performance and drive efficiency. The department expects to see these reforms delivered over the course of this parliamentary term, as new legislation is enacted, and private train operators move into public ownership.