Returning all of the country’s rail operators into public ownership is among the key policies launched by Prime Minister Keir Starmer since his party’s re-election five months ago.
Train passengers in Britain suffer from frequent cancellations to their journeys in addition to high ticket prices.
“For too long, the British public has had to put up with rail services that simply don’t work,” Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said in a statement.
“A complex system of private train operators has too often failed its users.”
Alexander said South Western Railway, offering journeys between London and towns in southern England, will be the first to transfer into public ownership in May.
This will be followed by two more operators serving English towns and cities by late 2025.
Despite the transition, passengers are set to face higher fares from March, based on an annual government calculation.
