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The nationalisation of a second train company by the Labour government in the UK has been completed. Operator c2c, which runs services between London Fenchurch Street and south Essex, was taken into public ownership on Sunday. It had been controlled by Italy’s state-owned rail company Trenitalia since 2017. DfT Operator Ltd, which manages services under public control on behalf of the UK government, said tickets previously purchased will remain valid. DfT stands for Department of Transport. It added that fares are ‘not changing as a direct result of the transfer’. The overall passenger satisfaction rating for c2c was 89% in the most recent research by watchdog Transport Focus. This was the joint sixth best performance out of 22 operators. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: ‘Whether you’re shopping in Lakeside or walking along the beach in Southend-on-Sea, from today you will be able to get there on a train service run by the public, for the public. ‘Public ownership is already tackling deep-rooted problems we see on the railway that’s led to spiralling costs, fragmentation and waste. ‘A unified network under Great British Railways will take this further with one railway under one brand with one mission delivering excellent services for passengers wherever they travel.’ GBR is an upcoming public sector body that will oversee Britain’s rail infrastructure and train operation. Ernesto Sicilia, managing director at Trenitalia UK, said: ‘As the franchise moves to public ownership, we acknowledge both the progress made and the ongoing challenges of unifying a fragmented rail industry. ‘In the meantime, we will continue to support and deliver services on the Avanti West Coast franchise until it too transitions to public ownership in 2026. ‘While our role as operator is ending, our dedication to sharing knowledge, supporting innovation and fostering collaboration remains unchanged. ‘We recognise that building a resilient and integrated rail network takes time and Trenitalia is determined to play a constructive part in that journey.’ South Western Railway became the first operator brought into public ownership by the Labour Government in May. It joined Northern, TransPennine Express, Southeastern and LNER, which were nationalised under the Conservative government because of performance failings by the former owners of those franchises. The next operator to be nationalised will be Greater Anglia on October 12. By Neil Lancefield, PA Transport Correspondent Press Association: News source: PA Copyright 2025 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
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