The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has rejected a set of applications from three different companies seeking track access contracts to run services along the West Coast Main Line (WCML).
The contracts, which saw each company seek to collaborate with Network Rail, were rejected on the grounds of a lack of capacity.
Upon evaluation, the ORR concluded that there was insufficient capacity on the WCML’s southern section for the introduction of new services from East Coast Trains Limited (Lumo NW); the Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway Company Limited (WSMR); and Virgin Management Limited (Virgin), with the introduction of any new services feared to be detrimental to overall line performance on the line.
The ORR’s assessment took into account operational viability, potential benefits and the views of passengers, as well as statements from local stakeholders.
Stephanie Tobyn, ORR’s director of strategy, policy and reform, said:After thorough assessment of each application, it was clear that there was insufficient capacity to approve any of the services without a serious negative impact on the level of train performance that passengers experience on the West Coast Main Line.
We recognise the potential advantages of competition on the West Coast Main Line, which is why we approved in 2024 the new London-Stirling services that First Group are due to start operating in 2026. However, it is clear that the southern end of the route requires space in the timetable to provide resilience.
Additional services within the current timetable structure and planned capacity use would further weaken punctuality and reliability, not just at the south end of the WCML but elsewhere as well.
The proposed services consisted of the following additions:
- Virgin Trains (three new service groups): VT1: London Euston and Greater Manchester and Northwest (Preston via Manchester Victoria – five daily services on Monday to Sunday, and Rochdale via Manchester Victoria – two daily services on Monday to Sunday); VT2: London Euston and Liverpool Lime Street (nine daily services on Monday to Sunday); and VT3: London Euston and Birmingham New Street (four daily services on Monday to Sunday)
- WSMR: London Euston and Wrexham (five daily services on weekdays and Saturdays); London Euston and Wrexham (four daily services on Sunday)
- Lumo NW: London Euston and Rochdale (six daily services on weekdays and Saturdays); London Euston and Rochdale (five daily services on Sunday)
The ORR previously approved an application from Grand Union Trains (GUT) in February 2024 for the introduction of open access services between London and Stirling, with services expected to begin in 2026.
