Greater Anglia could be one of the first nationalised trains under Labour
The Transport Secretary has said she would be "wasting no time" in bringing services back under public ownership
Greater Anglia and West Midlands could be some of the first nationalised trains under Labour.
It's as the train operators' core contract terms expired yesterday (15th September), potentially putting the services on course to be the first ones nationalised by the government.
The ending of the core term of their contracts means Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has the power to terminate their deal with 12 weeks' notice.
She is not expected to act until the Government's nationalisation legislation completes its passage through Parliament.
But she said she would be "wasting no time" in bringing services back under public ownership.
These are the first two operators to reach the end of their core terms since Labour came to power in July.
The operators' full contracts are not due to expire until September 2026.
"For too long our broken railways have failed passengers"
But Ms Haigh said: "For too long our broken railways have failed passengers day in day out with delays and cancellations.
"That's why I am laser focused on overhauling the railways and wasting no time in bringing train operating companies back under public ownership where they belong.
"As soon as our public ownership Bill is on the statute book, we will be starting the process of public ownership by serving notice on these operators - putting an end to our wasteful and fragmented privatised railway and delivering for passengers."
The Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill has already been rushed through the House of Commons and is due to be debated in the Lords for the first time on October 7.
The legislation means the Government will take over services from private firms as their franchises expire.