The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has today given its approval for a limited number of additional services from December 2025 for three open access operators on the East Coast Main Line (ECML). The decision will see existing services extended or new connections added for Lumo, Grand Central Rail Company Limited (Grand Central), and Hull Trains Company Limited (Hull Trains).
The ORR has stated that these approved additional services will offer passengers enhanced direct rail links between London King’s Cross and Glasgow, Hull, and Newcastle. Furthermore, new connections will be introduced to other destinations, including Seaham on the North East coast. The ORR’s decisions also mean an increase in services between Wakefield and Bradford.
The additional approved services are as follows:
- Grand Central: Two additional Wakefield Kirkgate to Bradford Interchange services on weekdays and Saturdays; one additional Bradford Interchange to Wakefield Kirkgate service on weekdays and Saturdays; and one additional Bradford Interchange to Wakefield Kirkgate service in each direction on Sundays, along with some additional Seaham calls on existing services.
- Hull Trains: One additional northbound service on weekdays and Saturdays between London King’s Cross and Hull.
- Lumo (Newcastle): One additional return service between London King’s Cross and Newcastle on weekdays and one additional service in opposing directions on a Saturday and Sunday.
- Lumo (Glasgow extensions): The extension of existing London King’s Cross-Edinburgh services, allowing Lumo to provide two northbound services and one southbound service between London King’s Cross and Glasgow on weekdays, and one in each direction on Sundays.
The ORR confirmed that it rejected other proposed services from these applicants. These rejections were based on factors such as insufficient capacity, potential negative impacts on performance, or adverse effects on the Secretary of State’s funds. The rail regulator also specifically rejected an application from Hull Trains for new services between London King’s Cross and Sheffield.
In reaching its decisions, the ORR stated it placed significant weight on its duties to promote the use of Britain’s rail network, provide certainty to train operators, foster competition for the benefit of passengers, and give due regard to the funds available to the Secretary of State.
Stephanie Tobyn, ORR’s Director of Strategy, Policy and Reform, said: “Approving these additional open access services will increase connectivity on the East Coast Main Line. Importantly, we have ensured the approval of these services can be accommodated alongside the major service uplifts by other operators, which have been planned into the December 2025 timetable, so together passengers and freight customers can benefit from more direct connections and greater choice from December.”
