Thameslink, the train operator that serves Luton’s three railway stations, will be brought back into public ownership from May 31, 2026, as part of sweeping reforms announced by the government.
The move is part of Labour’s wider rail reform bill, due to be presented to parliament in November, which will pave the way for the creation of Great British Railways. It is the biggest reset of the railways in a generation, which will help to deliver better and more reliable services for passengers.
Thameslink is currently run by Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), the UK’s largest train operator. It will be the third major franchise to transfer to public hands after Greater Anglia later this month and West Midlands Trains in February 2026.
By the middle of next year, eight in 10 passenger rail journeys that the Department for Transport is responsible for will be owned by the public, for the public.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told the Labour party conference on Tuesday: “For too long our railways have been run in the interest of private profit not passengers.
“The Tories stood by and watched as delays, cancellations and overcrowding became the norm, as the scoring profits of owning groups. Conference – I have one thing to say to you – not on my watch.
“This Labour government is calling time on 30 years of failure, frustration and fragmentation. We are returning our railways to the service of passengers and we’re not wasting a minute.”
The announcement will have a direct impact on the thousands of the town’s residents who travel from Luton, Luton Airport Parkway and Leagrave stations and rely on Thameslink every day for journeys into London, Bedfordshire and beyond.
Govia, which has run Thameslink since 2014, said it was already preparing for the transition and insisted services and staff would not be affected. The company said all employees would transfer to the new publicly owned operator and that ticketing and timetables would remain unchanged.
Angie Doll, GTR’s chief executive officer, said: “I am immensely proud of what we have achieved for the millions of customers who rely on us, and for the communities we serve. As well as helping people travel, our purpose is about building a railway ready for the future, with people and communities at the heart of making that happen.
“By investing in skills, nurturing talent and building a more diverse workforce, we’ve laid the foundations for a railway that will endure, support sustainable growth, and inspire future generations. That is the legacy we have created.
“Our transition to public ownership comes at a time when GTR is at the forefront of key initiatives, essential to building a thriving sector under GBR and a stronger economy for Britain’s future.”
The company pointed to its investment in over 1,500 new carriages, its pioneering digital signalling project, and £192m generated in social value projects in just 15 months as examples of progress since it took over the Thameslink franchise a decade ago.
For now, GTR stressed that its focus remains on keeping journeys safe and reliable for passengers, including those in Luton who will be watching closely to see what difference public ownership makes to the daily commute.
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