Campaign against Great Western Railway (FirstGroup)
Following the election of the new government in July 2024, the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act became law on 28 November 2024.
Privatisation Departures Board
This means that all the remaining private train operators controlled by the Department for Transport will now return to public ownership when their current contracts end.
Join the countdown to re-nationalisation with our new Privatisation Departures Board.
Read on for the previous franchise information…
FirstGroup has operated the Greater Western franchise since April 2006. The franchise includes a majority of train services running to and from London Paddington and was supposed to end in March 2013. However, owing to the Department for Transport’s refranchising schedule being in disarray, FirstGroup was directly awarded a succession of extensions to its franchise, which is now due to end in June 2028. FirstGroup also operates the TransPennine Express franchise, as well as the South Western Railway franchise in a joint venture with MTR Corporation and the Avanti West Coast franchise in partnership with Trenitalia.
• Do you use the First Great Western service regularly?
• Do you believe it should be returned to public hands as part of a re-unified national rail network run for people not profit?
• Then, why not start a campaign building up to the franchise end?
Bring Back British Rail will support you by promoting your campaign’s details on this website and putting you in touch with other local activists via our Facebook, Twitter and Riseup communities. Please get in touch on the email address below!
Existing Campaigns / Groups:
• Bike Reservations on Trains – the beginning of the end
• Great Western Trains Kicked My Cat
