The shadow UK Labour Transport Secretary, Louise Haigh, announced on 25 April that if Labour wins the forthcoming election the remainder of British railway TOCs (train operating companies) will be taken into public ownership over the five year term. The system will be the same as in Scotland, with an arm's length company, using the existing name Great British Railways, overseeing operations. Freight operators will continue to be privately owned. Open access for private passenger operators, such as Grand Union Trains and Lumo, will continue, and the operating companies will still lease rolling stock from the ROSCOs (rolling stock companies). Four TOCs are already under direct control and the others' service contracts will be taken over as they expire.

From our perspective, the name Great British Railways is a strange choice, since GBR will not be responsible for Welsh, Scottish or Northern Irish rail operators.