Train Operators Expand Services in the East Midlands

• Three operators have received permission for additional services.
• Hull Trains has proposed a new route to Sheffield.
• LNER plans significant changes to its schedule starting in December 2025.

Three train operators in the East Midlands have received permission to launch additional services starting in December 2025. The regulator Office of Rail and Road (ORR) approved the proposals from open-access operators Lumo, Grand Central, and Hull Trains.

Among the approved services are the expansion of Lumo routes from London to Glasgow and additional services from London to Newcastle. Hull Trains will provide services from London to Halifax on weekdays and Saturdays, while Grand Central will expand its regional operations, including a new route to Seaham in the Durham area.

However, the regulator rejected some proposals, including Hull Trains' plan for new services between London and Sheffield due to insufficient capacity and potential negative impacts on the public finances. State operator LNER also plans significant changes to its timetable with 37 new services and reduced journey times between London and Edinburgh.

FirstGroup, the owner, expressed disappointment over the regulator's rejection of the Sheffield plan, as it had anticipated the first regular service from London since 1968 for over 350,000 people in the surrounding areas.

According to the information, open-access operators set their own fares, take on financial risks, and do not receive subsidies from the budget.

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