ORR approves limited new passenger services on East Coast Main Line from December 2025

ORR said the additional services from East Coast Trains Limited (Lumo), Grand Central Rail Company Limited (Grand Central) and Hull Trains Company Limited (Hull Trains) will offer passengers extra direct rail links between London King’s Cross and Glasgow, Hull and Newcastle and also introduce links to other destinations, including Seaham, on the North East coast. ORR’s decisions also mean more services between Wakefield and Bradford.

The additional approved services are:

• 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

ORR said it rejected other proposed services from the above applicants, on the basis of insufficient capacity and potential performance impacts, or impact on the Secretary of State’s funds. The rail regulator also rejected an application from Hull Trains for new services between London King’s Cross and Sheffield.

In making its decisions, ORR said it put weight on its duties to promote the use of Britain’s rail network, help give certainty to train operators, promote competition for the benefit of passengers and have regard to the funds available to the Secretary of State.

Stephanie Tobyn, ORR’s director of strategy, policy and reform, said:

Notes to editors

1. Decision on applications for access to the East Coast Main Line (ECML) – letter to applicants
2. Applicants’ complete list of proposed services:
   • Grand Central additional rights (December 2025 to December 2027)
     Monday – Saturday; two additional return services between Bradford Interchange and London King’s Cross; one additional return service between York and London King’s Cross; one additional service between London King’s Cross and Wakefield Kirkgate; two new services in each direction between Wakefield Kirkgate and Bradford Interchange; and additional calls at Peterborough and Seaham Stations in some services. Sunday: one additional return between Bradford Interchange and London King’s Cross; one new return service between York and London King’s Cross; and Peterborough and Seaham station calls to be added in some services.
   • Hull Trains (May 2026 to December 2032)
     Two daily return services from London King’s Cross to Sheffield via Retford with intermediate stops at Worksop and Woodhouse and one daily return service between Meadowhall and Sheffield.
   • Hull Trains (December 2025 to December 2032)
     One return service between London King’s Cross and Hull on weekdays and Saturdays.
   • Lumo, Newcastle (December 2025 to May 2033)
     One return service between London King’s Cross and Newcastle on weekdays and one train in opposing directions on Saturday and Sunday, and to extend existing services to call at Stevenage.
   • Lumo, Edinburgh-Glasgow extensions
     Four return services between Edinburgh and Glasgow Queen Street on weekdays, five services on Saturdays and three services on Sundays with an additional Glasgow Queen Street to Edinburgh service daily.
3. The rights we have approved to operate Grand Central's services are on a contingent basis due to the potential for the operator needing to adjust its depot strategy, and consequently Empty Coaching Stock moves, from 2028. The additional Seaham calls may conflict with future firm rights already granted to Nexus (the Tyne & Wear metro operator) for an additional train per hour to/from Sunderland. On this basis Network Rail requested the rights are approved on a time-limited and contingent basis, with no presumption of continuity of rights beyond December 2026.
4. ORR’s open access guidance
5. ORR is the independent safety and economic regulator for Britain’s railways. ORR ensures that passenger train companies and freight companies have fair access to the rail network and that best use is made of capacity.