Greater Anglia trains to be brought under public control next autumn

The big picture: Greater Anglia will be the third train operator to be brought under public control, following South Western Rail in May and c2c in July, marking the biggest change to the region's rail services since privatisation in the 1990s.

By the numbers: The government says the wider renationalisation programme will:

• Save up to £150 million annually in private operator fees

• Come at no extra cost to taxpayers

• Complete within 3 years

What they're saying: Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: "For too long, the British public has had to put up with rail services that simply don't work. A complex system of private train operators has too often failed its users."

Yes, but: It's important to remember that Greater Anglia has been one of the best-performing rail operators in the country in recent years. Its prioritisation for public ownership is simply due to the timing of its franchise expiry rather than any concerns about service quality.

Behind the scenes: The services will be managed by DfT Operator – previously known as DfT Operator of Last Resort Holdings Limited – whose functions will eventually become part of Great British Railways (GBR). This is because legislation doesn't yet exist to create GBR.

The bottom line: As one of the first operators to transfer to public ownership, Greater Anglia's transition will be closely watched as a test case for the government's wider rail reform programme.