The Department for Transport (DfT) says passengers will get their first look at the “future of Britain’s railways” today (9 December 2025), as branding for Great British Railways (GBR) is revealed and landmark legislation to reform the railway is debated in Parliament.
In a statement, DfT added that the Government was bringing train operators back into public ownership to “reform a fragmented system”. Seven major train operators are already in public ownership, covering a third of all passenger journeys in Great Britain.
DfT revealed that the logo and train livery for GBR would be rolled out from spring 2026, appearing on trains and websites and at stations. It said this would bring the railway together “under one brand owned by the public, delivering for the public, not for private shareholders.”
The “striking and memorable” design features a red, white and blue colour scheme and sharp angles, mirroring the Union Flag. The Government has also revealed the GBR logo, which features a double arrow symbol in a nod to Britain’s proud railway heritage.
This branding has been unveiled as the landmark Railways Bill is debated in the House of Commons today, following the Government’s decision to freeze rail fares for the first time in three decades.
The Bill will create GBR, which DfT said would bring together 17 different organisations, reducing “frustrating bureaucracy”, supporting accountability, and running Britain’s railways as a single organisation for the first time in decades.
It added that across publicly owned operators, “significant progress” had already been made. South Western Railway has quadrupled the number of its new Arterio trains, increasing passenger capacity by nearly 10 per cent. A new East Coast Mainline timetable is being introduced this month to add 10,000 extra LNER services annually, meaning 60,000 more seats a week, and Southeastern Railway has invested £2 million in video and camera technology to help identify potential faults on the rail network so they can be fixed quickly.
GBR is set to maintain and improve the railways, accountable to passengers, freight customers and taxpayers. DfT said fares and ticketing would be modernised (including with a new app), a “strengthened” Passenger Watchdog would investigate poor service and demand improvement, and GBR would be empowered to build a railway that “supports the Government’s missions to drive economic growth and opportunity by unlocking jobs and housing.”
The new branding will also feature on the GBR ticketing app, which DfT described as a one-stop shop for passengers to check train times and buy tickets at the best prices across the rail network without any booking fees. It added that disabled passengers would be able to use the app to book Passenger Assist when buying tickets.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “The future of Britain’s railways begins today. I’m immensely proud to unveil the new look for Great British Railways as we deliver landmark legislation to nationalise our trains and reform the railway so it better serves passengers.
“This isn’t just a paint job – it represents a new railway, casting off the frustrations of the past and focused entirely on delivering a proper public service for passengers.
“With fares frozen, a bold new look and fundamental reforms becoming law, we are building a railway Britain can rely on and be proud of.”
The brand will be on display at London Bridge station today, with a special one-day exhibit including a GBR branded Hornby model train, plus a demo of a GBR branded train in the Train Sim World 6 game. The new design will also appear on posters and digital displays at London Bridge, Birmingham New Street, Glasgow Central, Leeds City, and Manchester Piccadilly stations this week.
It will then be used by a number of publicly owned train operators from next spring. DfT said most of the rollout would be gradual – revealing that brand had been designed in-house to maximise value for money.
Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, said: “This is a huge boost for passengers not only in the East Midlands but across the country. For too long, our trains have been overcrowded, unreliable, and confusing to navigate. Great British Railways will make journeys simpler, faster, and fairer for everyone.
“Passengers here will be able to plan and pay for trips more easily with the app, while investment in new trains and improved services, backed by the decision to base Great British Railways’ headquarters in Derby, will mean more seats, more comfort, and more reliable connections between our towns and cities.
“This is about giving people a railway that actually works for them, one that helps people get to work, study, or visit friends and family with confidence and ease.”
Alex Robertson, Chief Executive of the independent watchdog, Transport Focus: “Today’s second reading of the Railways Bill, alongside a preview of the logo and ticketing app, marks another step on the journey towards a railway built around passengers. As well as what is written into law, the success of Great British Railways will depend on its people and culture, and today gives us a glimpse into what that could look and feel like.”
Jacqueline Starr, Executive Chair and CEO of Rail Delivery Group, said: “The Railways Bill presents an opportunity to bring the industry together with a single focus on delivering for our customers and we are determined to play our part in getting it right. As the industry evolves, our priority remains supporting the rail network to keep people moving and making sure we are delivering a better railway for everyone across the country, now and in the future.
“We welcome the Government’s commitment to improving the services our customers depend on every day, and we will continue to work closely with industry partners to support a smooth transition to Great British Railways.”
Ahead of the second reading of the Railways Bill in Parliament Ben Plowden, Chief Executive of Campaign for Better Transport, said: “The Railways Bill represents a significant opportunity to create a more accountable, affordable, accessible and better-integrated rail network. To do this however, it must include clearer duties, stronger safeguards and a firmer long-term funding framework.
“As part of this, we’d like to see a target to increase passenger numbers, a plan to grow the network to connect more people to the railways, and a clear timetable for fares and ticketing reforms to make trains more affordable for more people.”
Rail Freight Group (RFG) has called on parliamentarians to support rail freight as the Railways Bill 2025 has its historic second reading in the House of Commons.
In a statement the organisation has said the Railways Bill 2025 contains some important and welcome provisions for rail freight, but also raises concerns, particularly around the future plans for allocating track capacity. RFG has issued a briefing note to all parliamentarians outlining its key concerns, which include:
- The demise of the rail regulator as the body which has grown the railway through incentivising performance, granting new routes, fostering competition and delivering rail growth
- Allowing Great British Railways (GBR), rather than the regulator, to set rules on track access and charging, determine initial appeals and mark its own work to potentially favour the 75 per cent of operators within its stable over the other 25 per cent public and private sector operators
- Confusion over which of GBR or Government will be the guiding mind with new sweeping powers for the Secretary of State to direct, or give guidance to, GBR
- Powers for Government to intervene over the management and operation of infrastructure and facilities which are not owned by the Government or GBR.
RFG Director General, Maggie Simpson OBE, said: “The success of Great British Railways will depend not on the colour of its logo but on how it supports customers, and enables more goods to move by rail. By making some small changes to the Railways Bill, parliamentarians can help us ensure that the future of our railways works effectively for all users.”
Disability Rights UK’s Rail Policy Adviser has called on the Government to “finally grasp the access opportunities around rail reform”.
He said: “After more than seven years since the rail reform process was launched, we welcome the start of the Railways Bill’s progress through Parliament as we need to see it as a potential opportunity to create a better rail network for disabled passengers providing in vast number of disabled rail passengers with more value for money.”
0113 2082620