The decision affects services operated by East Coast Trains (Lumo), Grand Central, and Hull Trains, and follows a review process balancing network capacity, competition, and funding considerations.
Under the new rights:
- Grand Central will add two weekday and Saturday services between Wakefield Kirkgate and Bradford Interchange, and one additional service in each direction on Sundays. Some existing services will also include stops at Seaham.
- Hull Trains is permitted one additional northbound service on weekdays and Saturdays between London King’s Cross and Hull.
- Lumo will introduce an additional return service on weekdays between London King’s Cross and Newcastle, with one new service in each direction on Saturdays and Sundays. Lumo will also extend some of its existing King’s Cross–Edinburgh services to Glasgow, allowing two northbound and one southbound service on weekdays, and one in each direction on Sundays.
ORR rejected several other proposals from the applicants, citing capacity constraints, performance concerns, or financial impacts on government-supported services. A separate Hull Trains application for services between London and Sheffield was among those denied.
The regulator noted that the approved additions align with wider planned service increases across the ECML for December 2025, ensuring integration with the timetable while allowing for more direct connections. Some rights, including Seaham calls and Grand Central’s additional depot-related movements, have been granted on a contingent or time-limited basis, subject to future infrastructure developments and commitments to other operators.
