ORR Approves Additional East Coast Main Line Services

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has approved a number of additional services for three open access operators either extending or adding to existing services on the East Coast Main Line (ECML).

Services will begin in December 2025 and see extra direct rail links for East Coast Trains Limited (Lumo), Grand Central Rail Company Limited (Grand Central) and Hull Trains Company Limited (Hull Trains) passengers looking to travel between London King’s Cross and Glasgow, Hull and Newcastle, with additional links introduced to a number of other destinations, including Seaham.

Additional services include:

• 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, and some additional Seaham calls on existing services
• Hull Trains: one additional northbound service 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 so that Lumo can 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 also confirmed it had rejected several other proposed services from the aforementioned operators on the basis of both insufficient capacity and potential performance impacts, or, the impact on the Secretary of State’s overall funds. It also rejected proposals for an application from Hull Trains for a new set of services between London King’s Cross and Sheffield.

Stephanie Tobyn, ORR’s Director of Strategy, Policy and Reform, said:, 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.