Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander addresses party conference – her speech in full

Conference, Conference, I’d like you to cast your minds back to the first time a journey made your world bigger. Maybe it was the bus that took you into town for the first time. A train or a car trip to a job interview. A cycle path to a new part of a new city.  Or maybe a flight that took you on a holiday of a lifetime. Transport networks aren’t just lines on a map. They expand our worlds, giving us the ability to pursue our ambitions.

But when transport doesn’t work, our worlds get smaller. A bus that doesn’t turn up is a friend you can’t see. A train without level boarding is a job you can’t take. For too many people in this country, transport that is supposed to connect us, ends up defining and constraining our lives.

It hasn’t always been this way. 200 years ago, steam trains transformed our country. When the Great Western Railway came to my home town of Swindon, it revolutionised the opportunities of the people who lived there. Our railways were drivers of change and progress. They unleashed possibilities for communities up and down the country.

But Conference, for too long now we’ve had a transport system that has not kept pace with our ambitions. Roads riddled with potholes. Buses that never arrive. A country where, for too many people, your place of birth determines the life you’ll lead. Places where hope can be in short supply. That is the challenge that this Labour Government faces.

Now, I know everyone in this room will have the occasional moment when you ask yourselves why you do what you do. And who you’re doing all this for. It’ll sometimes happen after cold canvassing sessions – those rounds where you’re left soaked through, peeling soggy leaflets apart. Who we are doing this for is an important question in politics and even more important in government.

As Transport Secretary my ambition is clear. I want to leave our transport network in a better state than I found it. I want everyone to be able to get around easily, where travel adds joy to your day and not frustration. That means asking the fundamental questions: who does our transport network serve? Who should it serve?

On the railways, the answer from the Tories was clear. Our rail network served private train companies, who in turn, served their shareholders. Thirty years of fragmentation created a system where no one took responsibility.  Delays, cancellations and overcrowding were always someone else’s fault. Those Tory Ministers, those architects of our broken transport system, were co-conspirators in overseeing a railway that put private profit, ahead of public service.  Now, Conference, those same people tell us, they have the gall to say, that the state shouldn’t now be involved. That nationalisation of the railways will take our country backwards.

Conference – they are asking you to believe that this government can do nothing, purely because they did nothing. That belief, Conference – that belief that government is powerless – is the last refuge of lazy politicians who lack courage, conviction and confidence in their ability to change things. I do not accept that.  I will not accept that.

This Labour government is renationalising our railways, putting people before profit. Conference, this time next year, we will be a few, short months away from Day One of Great British Railways – the new publicly owned body which will manage both tracks and train. We will bring fares and ticketing into the 21st Century, with a new GBR app that puts our reformed railway into the palm of your hand. We will drive innovation and passenger improvements to rival the best railways in the world.

Because, Conference, I do not, and will never, accept that “state-owned” means second best. Ten Train Operating Companies are now in public ownership, with Great Western coming next. 39 new Arterio trains are now out on the network on publicly owned SouthWestern. Cleaner toilets and more comfortable seats being introduced on publicly owned GTR. The ability to move your ticket seamlessly between train operators when disruption occurs now exists. More discounted travel for young people now exists.

But there is so much more to do.

I get how frustrating it is when services aren’t up to scratch, and yes, Liverpool, I hear you about the West Coast Mainline! For years, Avanti have been underperforming, with passengers paying the price. That’s why I can announce today that we will haul Avanti into public ownership at the earliest opportunity, in March next year. Conference, Conference, this may be the first time “Avanti” and “earliest” have ever been heard in the same sentence! We’ll introduce a comprehensive improvement plan, focused on delivering for passengers – not for shareholders. And the same goes for Cross Country and East Midlands Railway – both to be renationalised next year.

We will address the hidden challenges that hold the railway back too. For nearly three decades, most passenger trains haven’t been owned by the train operators themselves, but by Rolling Stock Companies, known as ROSCOs. ROSCOs bought the trains and leased them back to operators. The train operating companies saved money upfront but it also brought significant long term costs. In 2024, franchised train operators spent over £4 billion leasing and maintaining trains they didn’t own. £4 billion. That around a third of the total day-to-day running cost of operating railway services Every ROSCO contract includes financing and transaction costs and investment returns – costs which are ultimately borne by taxpayers and passengers.

So, as we set up Great British Railways, we will explore whether the state can directly own the new trains we order. Because, I say again, Conference, who should the railways serve? If GBR owning trains would best serve taxpayers and passengers then we should do it.

Conference, taking responsibility also means recognising who is best placed to make decisions. For too long, Westminster has hoarded power, believing that Whitehall should make decisions for everywhere in the country. Now, I don’t need to tell you where that approach left us. But I’m proud that in transport we’ve been delivering on devolution since before it was cool.

Because when Mayor David Skaith said Haxby needed a train station, we ensured he could crack on.

When Kim McGuinness said the North East needed better connections, we backed her to extend the Metro to Washington.

Tracy Brabin said West Yorkshire needed a mass transit system – we put her in the driving seat.

When Sadiq said extend the DLR to Thamesmead, we delivered the innovative financing mechanisms to enable it.

Oliver Coppard said South Yorkshire needed to renew its ageing Supertram –  we said yes.

Steve Rotheram said Liverpool needed a rapid transit system – yes.

Richard Parker said the West Midlands had to buy out National Express to protect bus services and jobs – yes.

Helen Godwin said her region deserves mass transit– yes.

And Claire Ward said put Derby at the heart of GBR and help me improve rural public transport – 100% yes.

And Bev, Bev, – you’ve already launched free bus passes for young people, stood up for rail passengers and I have no doubt you’ll be as strong a champion for investment in rail as that chap that came before you!

Now, Conference – Labour is taking responsibility for changing this country for the better. The first rail fares freeze in 30 years. Northern Powerhouse Rail back on track, supported by £45 billion of funding. HS2 reset – with a long overdue dose of honesty and realism about cost and schedule. The Bus Services Act, the biggest reform to England’s bus system in 40 years, ending the failures of deregulation and bringing buses back under public control. Free bus travel for kids this August, used by 14 million children, and from next year 24/7 free bus travel for disabled people and bus fares capped at £2.

Record investment in roads maintenance, Conference. The first Road Safety Strategy in over a decade. Millions invested into R&D to decarbonise our maritime and aviation sectors. Expansion approved or underway at City Airport, Luton, Leeds Bradford, Newcastle and Gatwick and consulting on plans at Heathrow

Now, all of this could only be achieved with a Labour Government, and a brilliant Ministerial team. Lord Peter Hendy, our veteran Rail Minister, has quite simply been a force of nature. Keir Mather, our slightly less veteran Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Logistics who has wisdom beyond his years. Our newest Minister, Justin Madders, who is gripping the problem of driving test wait times and overseeing our investment in roads. And Simon Lightwood, who continues his excellent work on buses and is leading the charge to bring taxi and private hire laws into the 21st century.

Now I know, Conference, there is more to do to make sure our transport systems always serve the people who use them. But we are determined. We are moving in the right direction. And with your help, we will get Britain believing in itself again.

So Conference, be loud about our achievements. Be proud of our common endeavour to return our buses and trains to public control. Let’s give our country hope again. And let’s together give our country the transport system it deserves.

Thank you.

READ MORE: Labour Party Conference 2026: Full LabourList events programme, revealed

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