The UK government’s Great British Railways (GBR) reform is set to centralise rail operations, aiming to create a more efficient, cost-effective system. This restructuring follows years of financial strain on the railway sector, worsened by declining passenger numbers, high operational costs, and fragmented management under the current franchise system. The reform seeks to reduce duplication, improve service reliability, and cut costs, but may come at the expense of jobs.

Thousands of redundancies are expected, particularly in back-office roles, customer service, and middle management as operations are streamlined. While unions have warned of potential strike action, these negotiations will continue as the situation unfolds.