The UK Government’s 2025 rail reform plan sets out a major overhaul of how railways are run, aiming to fix a system seen as fragmented, inefficient, and poor at meeting passenger needs. Costs to taxpayers have risen sharply since the pandemic, yet performance and satisfaction remain low — prompting the government to pursue structural, not incremental, change.
A new vision for rail
The plan is built around six goals: making the railway reliable, affordable, efficient, high-quality, accessible, and safe. These principles are intended to shape every aspect of future delivery.
Great British Railways: a single guiding mind
At the heart of the reform is the creation of Great British Railways (GBR) — a new public body that will bring track and trains under one roof. GBR will take responsibility for infrastructure, timetabling, fares, network access, and service delivery. This replaces a system currently spread across more than 17 organisations.
A new Railways Bill will give GBR the legal authority to run the network, streamline governance, and simplify regulation.
Better deal for passengers
The reforms include:
- A new independent passenger watchdog
- Simpler fares and ticketing
- Stronger focus on accessibility and customer service
Freight, access, and local influence
GBR will also oversee network access for passenger and freight operators, with a statutory duty to support freight growth. Devolved governments and mayoral authorities will gain a formal role in shaping services, ensuring local and regional priorities are represented.
Regulation and funding
The regulatory and financial framework will be rebuilt to reflect GBR’s integrated role, with clearer accountability and long-term planning cycles.
Benefits and challenges
If delivered well, the reforms could mean:
- More coordinated planning
- Better passenger experiences
- Greater value for money
- A long-term, whole-system approach to investment
However, major challenges remain, including the complexity of transition, maintaining private-sector engagement, and ensuring devolved regions retain sufficient influence.
What happens next
The Railways Bill introduced to Parliament in November 2025, is currently progressing through the legislative process. It must pass several stages in both the House of Commons and House of Lords before receiving Royal Assent. The UK Government has positioned it as a major structural reform that will legally establish Great British Railways and reshape how the network is planned and delivered.
A “shadow” GBR is already in place to manage the transition. Over the coming years, the government plans to move all infrastructure, operations, oversight, and regulatory functions into GBR — creating a single, unified public railway for Britain.
Based on parliamentary timelines and industry expectations, the Bill is likely to become law in summer 2026. Implementation of the new structures — including the full transition to Great British Railways — is expected to follow gradually, with the new system becoming operational from 2027 onward.
View the full report on the DfT website: A railway fit for Britain’s future
