How the UK government took control of a failing northern rail franchise

Countries & Cities · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 2020, the British government took the unprecedented step of stripping Arriva of its Northern rail franchise. Plagued by chaotic timetable changes and plummeting punctuality, the service was deemed unacceptable. Today, as a state-owned operator, Northern faces the monumental task of modernizing an aging fleet while navigating persistent industrial challenges.

The transition of Northern Trains into state ownership in March 2020 marked a rare intervention in British rail history. The previous operator, Arriva Rail North, had been awarded the franchise in 2015, but by 2018, the service had collapsed into a state of disarray. A poorly implemented timetable change in May 2018 triggered widespread cancellations and delays, leading to public protests and a sharp decline in passenger confidence. By late 2019, the Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, publicly labeled the service completely unacceptable, eventually terminating the contract. This was the first time a franchise had been removed for poor performance since the 2003 collapse of Connex South Eastern.

Since taking over, the state-run operator has focused on stabilizing performance and upgrading its rolling stock. The company inherited a diverse and aging fleet, including various diesel and electric units. To modernize, Northern introduced Class 195 and Class 331 units by December 2020. Looking ahead, the operator has initiated ambitious procurement plans to replace older models, such as the Sprinters and Class 333s, with a new fleet of up to 386 trains totaling 896 carriages. These upgrades, scheduled to begin in 2030, aim to streamline maintenance and reduce carbon emissions across the network.

Despite these efforts, the operator has faced significant external headwinds. The COVID-19 pandemic forced a drastic reduction in services, while the 2022–2024 national railway strikes—the largest in three decades—severely disrupted operations. Even after the strikes concluded, the network has continued to grapple with rest day working restrictions that frequently impact Sunday services. As the company moves toward 2027, when it plans to replace Class 323s with Class 350s, it remains a critical test case for state-led management in the UK rail sector, balancing the need for operational reliability with the long-term goal of total fleet renewal.

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