DfT consults on single Great British Railways licence to replace Network Rail permits

The Department for Transport (DfT) has opened a consultation on the licence under which Great British Railways (GBR) will operate its infrastructure and stations, proposing a single ministerially issued permit to replace Network Rail's current network and station licences.

The consultation, published on 12 November 2026 and applying to England, Scotland and Wales, closes at 11:59pm on 21 January 2027. The DfT said GBR will need a licence to operate its railway assets legally, and that the licence will set out obligations it must meet.

GBR is expected to take on operation of its railway assets in autumn 2027, according to the consultation document. The Railways Bill, once law, will provide the legislation to establish GBR as a new publicly owned company headquartered in Derby, with the Secretary of State for Transport as its sole shareholder and primary funder.

Heidi Alexander, Secretary of State for Transport, wrote in the foreword: "Yet too often, passengers and freight customers have experienced a system that can feel fragmented".

What the licence covers

The DfT said the draft licence is divided into four main sections. The proposed obligations cover providing information and assurance, improving the passenger experience, ensuring good stewardship and governance, and meeting shared industry obligations.

Under the current regime, the DfT said, licence holders hold separate licences for each railway asset they operate. The new GBR licence would let GBR operate all of its assets under one licence, and the consultation sets out a process to revoke the existing Network Rail network and station licences.

The Secretary of State for Transport, rather than the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), will issue the licence and will manage modifications to it. The DfT said it expects the licence to be reviewed about every five years.

The DfT's earlier policy publication timetable said the consultation would set out the conditions GBR must meet and the role of the ORR in enforcing them. The document builds on a GBR licence and accountability framework policy paper published in May 2026.

On devolution, the DfT said Scottish ministers will remain accountable to the Scottish Parliament for their role as funder, and Welsh ministers will have an enhanced role in informing infrastructure decisions within Wales. Welsh translations of the factsheet and full consultation will be published when available, the department said.

The rest of the sector

The ORR said on 27 July 2026 that it will continue to license the rest of the industry, including devolved, open access and freight operators. That covers around 50 non-GBR licence holders holding some 90 licences in total, the regulator said.

The ORR said its own formal consultation on non-GBR licences would be aligned with the DfT's GBR licence consultation so stakeholders can consider both sets of proposals together.

Stephanie Tobyn, Director, Strategy and Reform at ORR, said: "This is part of ORR playing its role in getting the rail industry ready for GBR day one."

Supply chain view

The Railway Industry Association (RIA) said in June 2026, responding to the DfT's rail reform publication timetable, that achieving better outcomes requires close collaboration between Government, GBR and industry as the detailed arrangements are developed. Darren Caplan, RIA Chief Executive, said visibility of future plans is key to investment confidence for rail suppliers.

How to respond

Responses can be made online, by email to GBRLicenceTeam@dft.gov.uk, or in writing to the GBR Licence Team at the Department for Transport, Great Minster House, London SW1P 4DR. The consultation closes on 21 January 2027.