Test for nationalised GWR will be ‘punctual’ services, says MP

The train operator will transition back into public ownership under Great British Rail

The measure of success for the soon-to-be-nationalised rail operator serving passengers between Devon and London Paddington will rest on its capacity to deliver “efficient and punctual” services, according to a Devon MP.

The government confirmed on Friday (May 8) that transport secretary Heidi Alexander had exercised a contractual right to issue an expiry notice to GWR, establishing that its agreement with the Department for Transport (DfT) will end on December 13 this year.

From that point, services will be operated by Great British Railways, the state-owned rail company.

Supporters are hopeful that public ownership will deliver an improved service, though one Devon MP said he and his colleagues would be “closely monitoring” whether that proves to be the case.

“The proof of the rail service will be in the journey,” said Richard Foord, the Liberal Democrat member for Honiton & Sidmouth.

“Public or private, people want trains that are efficient and punctual.

“That will be the test that we Liberal Democrats and other passengers will apply to the nationalised service.”

A DfT spokesperson said the government was “delivering on its commitment to bring services back into public ownership and put passengers, not shareholders, at the heart of our railways”.

GWR was privatised in 1996 as part of the break up of British Rail, originally launching under the name Great Western Trains, before rebranding as First Great Western in 1998. FirstGroup has held the franchise ever since, renaming it GWR in 2015. A GWR spokesperson confirmed the company would “continue to work closely with the DfT as we move into public ownership”.

“Throughout this process, our priority will be maintaining a punctual, reliable service for customers while continuing to support regional growth and connectivity across our network,” the spokesperson added.