- Secretary of State appoints new chairs of Network Rail and
DFTO at
pivotal time for industry
- appointees will draw on their significant industry experience
to deliver for passengers
- this marks next chapter for
railway as government moves closer to establishment of
Great British Railways
Two key rail leaders have been appointed to oversee the
railways at a monumental time for the industry today (12 January
2026).
Richard George has been appointed Chair of Network Rail, the
public body that owns, operates, maintains and develops
Britain's railway infrastructure.
Sir Andrew Haines will become Chair of Department
for Transport Operator Limited (DFTO), the
government body bringing all currently privately-owned
train services into public ownership ahead of the
creation of Great British Railways (GBR).
With significant experience in the rail industry,
both appointees will support the government's mission to
bring together track and train – delivering a better service
for passengers.
Richard has 45 years of experience operating at
the most senior level in the UK transport industry
and is the current chair of DFTO. His
extensive career includes roles as Managing Director of Great
Western Trains and HS1
Project Director for Eurostar, as well as an advisor to
DfT on matters
relating to rail performance and investment in the north of
England. Prior to privatisation, Richard had 20 years of railway
management experience with British Rail.
Sir Andrew has overseen rail and transport at the highest
level, most recently as CEO of Network Rail between 2018
and 2025, where he maintained a strong focus on putting
passengers first and driving improved performance. Prior to
this, Sir Andrew had a wide-ranging career in the rail
industry, including roles as Managing Director
of South West Trains and Managing Director of the
Rail Division for First Group plc.
Their new positions will take effect on 2 February 2026.
Transport Secretary, , said:
With legislation now making its way through Parliament, we're
making good progress with our ambitious programme of rail reform.
When Great British Railways is established, it will help us
to deliver a network which is run for the public, owned by the
public.
Richard and Sir Andrew both bring a wealth of experience, helping
to improve passenger experience and operational performance,
supporting the integration of
our railways and building towards the
world-class railway we will see under Great British Railways.
I'd like to thank Mike Putnam for his
work overseeing Network Rail at this pivotal
time. I'm pleased we will continue to benefit from
his knowledge and skills as he remains part of the Network Rail
board.
Sir Andrew Haines said:
I am delighted to be joining DFTO at this
pivotal time, as it focuses on its mission of successfully
bringing more services into public ownership, improving
passenger experience and helping create Great British
Railways.
I look forward to working closely with so many talented
colleagues from across the publicly owned train operating
companies, Network Rail, the Department for Transport and the
wider rail industry.
Richard George said:
I am delighted and honoured to be appointed Chair of Network
Rail. The rail reform journey we are on towards the creation of
Great British Railways is an exciting one with changes
across all railway organisations, including Network Rail, as we
work to create an integrated railway fit for the 21st century.
But those changes must never be at the expense of safety and
operational performance, and the whole system relies on
Network Rail to deliver that. I am excited to be a part of this,
leading Network Rail, alongside DFTOand
the publicly-owned train operators, to improve
performance on the railway and drive rail reform.
The new appointments come as legislation
to establish Great British Railways goes through
Parliament, marking the next phase of the Government's bold rail
reforms. Great British Railways will build a simpler, more
unified railway that delivers reliable, safe and more
affordable journeys.
