The Fresh Logo for the UK's National Rail Body is Announced.
The Transport Department has revealed the visual identity for Great British Railways, signifying a major move in its plans to take the railways under nationalisation.
An Patriotic Palette and Familiar Symbol
The new design showcases a patriotic palette to mirror the national flag and will be applied on locomotives, at terminals, and across its digital platforms.
Significantly, the symbol is the distinctive double-arrow design currently used by National Rail and originally introduced in the mid-20th century for the former state operator.
A Implementation Strategy
The phased introduction of the design, which was created internally, is expected to occur over time.
Passengers are expected to begin seeing the freshly-liveried services across the national network from spring next year.
Throughout the month of December, the visuals will be displayed at prominent railway stations, such as Glasgow Central.
The Journey to Public Ownership
The proposed law, which will allow the establishment of Great British Railways, is presently making its way through the Parliament.
The government has stated it is renationalising the railways so the system is "run by the passengers, operating for the public, not for profit."
Great British Railways will bring the operation of train services and tracks and signals under one umbrella body.
The government has stated it will unify 17 different entities and "eliminate the notorious bureaucracy and accountability gap that continues to plague the railways."
Digital Services and Existing Ownership
The launch of GBR will also feature a new mobile application, which will allow passengers to check schedules and purchase journeys free from additional fees.
Accessibility users will also be have the option to use the application to request support.
A number of operators had previously been nationalised under the former government, including TPE.
There are now seven operating companies now in public control, covering about a one-third of rail travel.
In the last twelve months, c2c have been nationalised, with more expected to be added in the coming years.
Official and Industry Reaction
"This is more than a new logo," said the relevant minister. It symbolises "a fresh start, casting off the issues of the past and concentrated solely on providing a genuine public service."
Industry representatives have responded positively to the pledge to bettering the passenger experience.
"The industry will carry on to collaborate with industry partners to ensure a successful transition to the new system," a senior figure added.