2026 looks set to be a landmark year for the rail industry as the journey towards Great British Railways accelerates – and the seven train operators already in public ownership are leading the charge, with a range bold plans for the year ahead.
Northern will press ahead with its ambitious ‘30 by 30’ plan, a data-driven strategy launched in November aimed at increasing annual customer journeys by 30 million by the end of the decade. The plan focuses on sustainable, long-term growth through organic demand, improved performance and targeted interventions – each of which the train operator says will deliver 10m extra customer journeys.
South Western Railway is on track to introduce three-quarters of its planned Arterio schedules by the end of Summer 2026, driving a step-change in service reliability and capacity. This builds on the strong momentum in Arterio roll-out since the train operator’s transfer into public ownership in May 2025, with the 30 already in service delivering a 12% boost in weekday suburban capacity into London Waterloo during the morning peak.
At Southeastern, much of the existing train fleet is being modernised and refurbished including all 36 Class 376 trains undergoing a mid-life interior and exterior refresh and work to upgrade the Class 395s. Work is also underway to replace the ageing Metro fleet.
At Barking station, c2c has opened a new ticket office and gateline and is in the process of refurbishing the lifts on platforms one and two. These ongoing works will better serve customers by increasing the station’s capacity and reducing existing congestion, while also restoring the architectural features of the only Grade-II listed 1950s railway station in London.
Greater Anglia will focus on maintaining excellent performance standards, delivering station improvement projects with key partners, including: the opening of Cambridge South station this summer; the opening of the new accessible footbridge at Stowmarket; and the completion of the station upgrade project at Wickford. They will also work with colleagues at c2c and Network Rail Anglia to deliver further customer benefits from closer working.
LNER’s recently expanded timetable is set to transform connectivity in 2026. By adding thousands of extra services and seats, the operator is unlocking unprecedented opportunities for the regions it serves and delivering an additional £105 million in annual economic, social, and environmental benefits.
And at TransPennine Express, the roll-out of dedicated Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) will continue in 2026, providing a visible and approachable presence across the network. They will support staff with low-level incidents, deliver high-visibility patrols and act as a direct link to British Transport Police (BTP). Five PCSOs are already active on the network and three more are set to join in February.
These plans for 2026 follow a year of transformation in 2025, where three more operators (c2c, South Western Railway, and Greater Anglia) transferred into public ownership.
A number of publicly-owned train operators also agreed a new ‘cross-operator ticket acceptance scheme’ to keep passengers moving during disruption and expanded the availability of Advance Purchase fares involving journeys on more than one operator.
On Sunday 1 February, West Midlands Trains, who operates London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway services, joins train operators in public ownership, followed by Govia Thameslink Railway, who operates Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express services, on Sunday 31 May.
Image credit: DFTO
