The Updated Logo for Great British Railways is Unveiled.
The government has disclosed the visual identity for Great British Railways, constituting a key move in its strategy to bring the railways into public ownership.
A Patriotic Colour Scheme and Historic Logo
The updated design showcases a red, white and blue colour scheme to reflect the national flag and will be used on GBR trains, at railway stations, and across its website and app.
Notably, the symbol is the well-known double-arrow design historically used by the national rail network and originally introduced in the mid-20th century for British Rail.
A Introduction Plan
The rollout of the new look, which was designed in-house, is set to take place gradually.
Travellers are set to begin spotting the freshly-liveried trains across the national network from the coming spring.
In the month of December, the visuals will be displayed at major stations, like Birmingham New Street.
A Journey to Nationalisation
The legislation, which will allow the creation of Great British Railways, is currently moving through the legislative process.
The government has stated it is renationalising the railways so the network is "run by the passengers, working for the passengers, not for corporate interests."
GBR will consolidate the running of passenger trains and infrastructure under a unified structure.
The government has said it will merge seventeen separate entities and "cut through the notorious bureaucracy and lack of accountability that hinders the railways."
App-Based Features and Existing Public Control
The launch of GBR will also feature a comprehensive app, which will allow passengers to view schedules and book tickets absent additional fees.
Passengers with disabilities travellers will also be able to use the application to request support.
A number of operators had already been taken into public control under the outgoing government, such as TPE.
There are now seven operating companies already in public hands, representing about a one-third of rail travel.
In the past year, c2c have been nationalised, with further franchises expected to follow in the coming years.
Official and Industry Comments
"This is more than a cosmetic change," said the Transport Secretary. It symbolises "a new railway, leaving behind the problems of the previous system and focused solely on delivering a proper service for the public."
Industry figures have responded positively to the focus to bettering services.
"We will carry on to cooperate with industry partners to support a seamless transition to GBR," a representative noted.
