The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has approved the launch of a new Go-op rail service connecting Swindon, Taunton and Weston-super-Mare from the end of 2025.
The co-operatively owned operator will compete with Great Western Railway (GWR), a public service operator.
Notably, ORR has set hindrances on this approval to ensure Go-op has sufficient finance and rolling stock in place.
Go-op must provide evidence of the necessary finance to start operations and fund level crossing enhancements. It must also prove that the necessary rolling stock has been secured. These conditions must be met no later than November 2025.
The service is then scheduled to start in December 2025, and must do so no later than December 2026 to use the capacity ORR has granted.
Once operational, Go-op will run return weekday and weekend trains between Taunton and Weston-super-Mare, Taunton and Westbury, Taunton and Swindon, and Frome and Westbury.
ORR granted this approval due to the benefits of competition and the introduction of new, better journey opportunities for passengers.
In making this decision, the regulator took into account the government’s support for the application and concluded that the benefits outweighed the very limited impact that may be had on government funds and train service performance.
“Our decision gives Go-op the opportunity to bring the first co-operatively owned train service and the first regional open access service in the UK. We think this novel proposal can benefit passengers across Somerset and Wiltshire.
“We will closely monitor Go-op’s progress towards meeting the financial and rolling stock requirements that are needed before it can bring the services into operation.”
