Open
access
services are
set
to
start
running
on
the
Great
Western
Main
Line
for
the
first
time
in
two
years
from
now.

The
Office
of
Rail
and
Road
has
approved
an
application
by
Grand
Union
Trains
to
operate
five
trains
a
day
between
London,
Cardiff
and
Carmarthen
from
December
2024.

The
ORR
rejected
objections
from
Network
Rail
that
there
would
not
be
enough
spare
paths.

Trains
will
also
call
at
Bristol
Parkway,
Severn
Tunnel
Junction,
Newport,
Gowerton
and
Llanelli.
In
addition,
GUT
has
promised
a
new
parkway
station
at
Felindre,
north
of
Swansea,
as
well
as
improvements
at
Severn
Tunnel
Junction.

Grand
Union
said
it
would
create
more
than
125
jobs
and
would
be
procuring
new
rolling
stock
for
the
service,
which
will
run
on
an
electrified
main
line
from
London
Paddington
as
far
as
Cardiff
Central.
The
trains
will
be
bi-modal
and
reduce
journey
times.

GUT
is
working
with
an
independent
European
investment
firm
Serena
Industrial
Partners
as
well
as
the
Spanish
operator
Renfe,
and
had
said
its
trains
would
have
‘bigger
seats,
more
legroom
and
increased
luggage
space
as
well
as
a
buffet
car
on
every
service’.

The
ORR
said
it
had
weighed
up
its
decision
‘against
the
impact
on
government
funds
and
effect
on
other
users
of
the
railway,
both
passengers
and
freight’.
Open
access
passenger
operators
pay
lower
track
access
charges,
but
they
are
not
protected
from
increases
in
the
future
compared
with
contracted
operators,
whose
costs
are
met
by
the
government.

The
ORR’s
director
of
strategy,
policy
and
reform
Stephanie
Tobyn
said:
‘This
decision
supports
more
choice
for
passengers,
new
direct
journey
opportunities,
more
price
competition,
and
new
comfortable
trains.
The
added
competition
should
also
make
a
significant
contribution
to
innovation
in
terms
of
the
routes
served,
ticketing
practices
and
service
quality
improvements,
by
both
Grand
Union
and
through
the
response
of
existing
operators.’

Speaking
at
the
end
of
September,
Grand
Union
Trains
managing
director
Ian
Yeowart
had
said:
‘We
have
been
pleased
to
work
on
promoting
this
important
service
which
will,
for
the
first
time,
deliver
significant
new
infrastructure
as
part
of
the
application
process.
We
have
been
proud
to
work
alongside
colleagues
at
Serena
and
Renfe
whose
vision
for
improved
services
is
close
to
our
own
and
has
enabled
us
to
put
forward
this
ambitious
project
to
the
ORR.’

The
route’s
existing
contracted
intercity
operator
Great
Western
Railway
has
yet
to
comment.