The UK government’s plans to renationalise three rail operators are progressing, but Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander confirms that rail fares will still increase by 4.6% from March. While the government aims to improve reliability and reduce financial inefficiencies with public ownership, critics argue that merely changing management won’t solve ongoing issues with fares and service quality. The Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act 2024 will allow the government to reclaim rail contracts progressively over the next five years.