Train service to be renationalised

Rail services in to Hertford East station are set to be renationalised next Autumn after contracted services run by Geater Anglia come to an end.

The government is acting on the Labour manifesto pledge to take rail contracts back into public ownership in five years as each private franchise runs out. Greater Anglia's core contract has already expired and is on a discretionary extention.

Greater Anglia said it would work to ensure a "smooth transition".

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said "our broken railways are finally on the fast track to repair".

Constituency MP Josh Dean, said: "This is very welcome news for residents of Hertford and Stortford. For too long, passengers have been let down by a system that doesn't work for them and the change needed was nothing short of fundamental. I fully support the Government’s new approach to deliver better rail services for passengers. Today’s announcement shows we are serious and on our way to reversing the mess that the previous Government left things in."

The service will eventually be taken over by a new body named Great British Railways.

Britain's railways were privatised between 1994 and 1997 when the state-controlled British Railways was broken up. It has long been debated whether privatisation provided a better railway overall.

The rail nationalisation programme is expected to be completed over the next three years, according to the Department for Transport.

Updated 19:30 to include comment from Josh Dean MP