The UK’s largest rail operator will transfer into public ownership in May 2026

The Department for Transport has announced that the next rail company to be nationalised in 2026 will be Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), the operator of two key routes through North London.

GTR is the UK’s single largest train operator, managing both Great Northern and Thameslink services through Haringey, Enfield and Barnet, as well as the Southern and Gatwick Express franchises in South London. It will come back into public ownership on Sunday, 31st May 2026.

The move comes at a time when Transport for London (TfL) is eyeing up a takeover of Great Northern. The announcement this week that Crews Hill in Enfield would become a ‘new town’ has reignited calls for train services on the route to be devolved, much like other regional rail routes were in the 2000s and 2010s, when the London Overground network was created.

A spokesperson for Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said: “We look forward to working with government and TfL to engage on devolution of Great Northern trains in order to make a Crews Hill new town viable and build a better capital for all Londoners.”

The move would likely see all Great Northern services from Hertfordshire and North London travelling into Moorgate and King’s Cross stations operated by TfL, meaning Barnet borough would get its first-ever London Overground route.

As well as mentioning devolution, the New Towns Taskforce report on Crews Hill also states clearly that timetable frequencies will need to increase from the current service on the Hertford Loop Line of two trains per hour at off-peak and four at peak times.

The nationalisation of GTR, however, will not lead to any immediate changes for passengers. Train services, timetables and station facilities “are unaffected, with no changes to travel cards and ticketing terms and conditions”. Employees’ roles are also unaffected, as they will all transfer across into the publicly owned company.

Angie Doll, chief executive officer of GTR, said: “I am immensely proud of what we have achieved for the millions of customers who rely on us, and for the communities we serve. As well as helping people travel, our purpose is about building a railway ready for the future, with people and communities at the heart of making that happen.

“By investing in skills, nurturing talent and building a more diverse workforce, we’ve laid the foundations for a railway that will endure, support sustainable growth, and inspire future generations. That is the legacy we have created.

“Our transition to public ownership comes at a time when GTR is at the forefront of key initiatives, essential to building a thriving sector under GBR and a stronger economy for Britain’s future.”

GTR employs 7,400 staff and manages 236 stations, with a network almost the same size as Belgium’s.

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