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The Transport Department has disclosed the logo and livery for Great British Railways, marking a major advance in its policy to bring the railways under public control.

An National Design and Iconic Emblem

The fresh design features a patriotic design to mirror the Union Flag and will be applied on locomotives, at railway stations, and across its online presence.

Significantly, the logo is the distinctive double-arrow design presently used by National Rail and originally introduced in the mid-20th century for the former state operator.

A Rollout Plan

The introduction of the design, which was developed internally, is expected to happen over time.

Passengers are scheduled to start noticing the freshly-liveried services throughout the UK rail network from the coming spring.

Throughout December, the visuals will be showcased at major railway stations, such as Glasgow Central.

The Path to Nationalisation

The proposed law, which will pave the way the formation of Great British Railways, is presently making its way through the Parliament.

The administration has argued it is bringing back into public ownership the railways so the network is "run by the public, operating for the public, not for profit."

Great British Railways will consolidate the running of train services and tracks and signals under a unified structure.

The department has said it will combine seventeen separate bodies and "cut through the notorious administrative hurdles and poor accountability that continues to plague the railways."

App-Based Services and Current Ownership

The rollout of GBR will also feature a dedicated mobile application, which will allow passengers to check timetables and reserve tickets free from surcharges.

Passengers with disabilities passengers will also be have the option to use the application to request help.

A number of franchises had earlier been nationalised under the previous administration, such as TPE.

There are currently 7 operating companies now in state ownership, representing about a one-third of rail travel.

In the last twelve months, Greater Anglia have been brought into public ownership, with additional operators anticipated to follow in the coming years.

Official and Industry Reaction

"The new design is more than a cosmetic change," commented the relevant minister. It represents "a transformed service, casting off the problems of the previous system and dedicated completely on delivering a proper public service."

Industry figures have acknowledged the focus to bettering services.

"We will carry on to cooperate with industry partners to ensure a smooth changeover to GBR," a senior figure noted.