Publicly owned rail is popular. But is it making the trains run on time?
Summary
A power failure in northwest England stopped many trains in August 2025, causing delays and stranding passengers. The UK government is gradually bringing train services into public ownership, but it is still too soon to tell if this change will improve reliability and reduce cancellations.Key Facts
- A power outage in Manchester in August 2025 stopped trains across northwest England.
- Heatwaves have caused safety-related speed limits on tracks, leading to more delays and cancellations.
- Labour’s government is nationalising (making public) several train services to improve them.
- South Western Railway (SWR) was nationalised in May 2025, but cancellations increased in its first year.
- The Conservative government nationalised TransPennine Express in May 2023, and cancellations there have fallen but remain higher than average.
- Experts say many factors affect train performance, like weather, infrastructure, and past conditions.
- It is still early to judge whether nationalisation of rail services will lead to better on-time performance.
- Public support for nationalised rail is high, with about two-thirds in favor according to a poll.
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