London Northwestern Railway services now in public ownership

Yesterday (February 1) marked the official handover of London Northwestern Railway services back into public ownership – with DfT Operator Ltd (DFTO) now managing the trains.

DFTO is the government’s public sector owning group that will manage all train companies as they move into public ownership ahead of the creation of Great British Railways (GBR).

The government says the move will help deliver an improved experience for passengers, by enabling train operators and the management of the railway’s infrastructure to be brought together to improve performance, reduce subsidy, drive innovation and improve satisfaction.

Alex Mayer MP was in Leighton Buzzard at the weekend to mark the handover.

She said: “Bringing track and train back together gives the railway a single, clear sense of direction. Less fragmentation means quicker decisions, clearer accountability, and so a system that works better for passengers. That’s the promise of Great British Railways.”

The Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander, said: "Passengers travelling from Leighton Buzzard Station with London Northwestern will be using services that are owned by the public and run with their interests at heart. This Labour Government is reforming a broken system to deliver a reliable railway that regenerates communities, rebuilds the trust of its passengers, and delivers the high standards people in Bedfordshire and beyond rightly expect.”

Ian McConnell, managing director of London Northwestern Railway, added: “Public ownership is an exciting opportunity to improve the rail service for our customers at Leighton Buzzard and across the network through collaboration and integration with other publicly-owned operators. Together, we can drive performance by sharing best practice, accelerating innovation and continuing to deliver even better journeys.

"We are now a step further on the journey to Great British Railways – a railway we can be proud of and one that benefits the passengers and communities we serve.”

New laws to formally establish Great British Railways, bringing together 17 different organisations, are going through Parliament. The Government has also pledged to launch a new passenger watchdog, and there are plans to make ticket pricing simpler and less confusing.

Services run south from Leighton Buzzard to Euston and north to Milton Keynes and Birmingham.

Govia Thameslink Railway’s (GTR) services will be next to transfer on May 31 – with Chiltern Railways and Great Western Railways expected to follow.

The government says it expects the transfer back into public ownership to be fully completed by the end of 2027.