Updated
09.36

Several
open
access
proposals


being
considered
by
the
Office
of
Rail
and
Road
have
been
rejected.
They
include
three
from
Virgin
Trains
as
well
as
one
each
from
Alstom
and
FirstGroup.

The
ORR
says
the
reason
in
each
case
was
the
lack
of
capacity
on
the
congested
West
Coast
Main
Line
south
of
Rugby.
Network
Rail
had
objected
to
all
the
applications
for
capacity
reasons,
and
also
because
of
power
supply
limitations.

Virgin
would
have
used
diesel
units
at
first
–
probably
Class
222s
cascaded
from
the
Midland
Main
Line
–
but
was
proposing
to
use
new
electric
trains
later
on.

The
Virgin
routes
would
have
been
from
London
Euston
to
Manchester
Piccadilly,
Rochdale
and
Preston,
from
London
Euston
to
Liverpool
Lime
Street,
and
from
London
Euston
to
Birmingham
New
Street. 

FirstGroup
had
been
proposing
to
run
six
Lumo
trains
a
day
from
London
to
Rochdale,
using
bi-mode
rolling
stock,
and
Alstom
wanted
to
revive
the
London-Wrexham
service
which
ceased
in
2011,
running
diesel
trains
five
times
a
day.

If
all
the
applications
had
been
granted
they
would
have
occupied
62
paths
on
the
WCML,
31
in
each
direction,
and
Network
Rail
had
told
the
ORR
that
‘there
is
insufficient
capacity
for
additional
services
on
WCML
South
Fast
Lines;
any
additional
services
will
impact
performance
and
erode
what
timetable
resilience
there
is’.

The
ORR’s
director
of
strategy,
policy
and
reform
Stephanie
Tobyn
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.’

More
applications
are
outstanding,
including
more
from
FirstGroup
and
one
from
Arriva
to
run
between
Newcastle
and
Brighton.

Reactions
have
started
to
come
in

Virgin
Group
said:
‘Virgin’s
proposed
services
on
the
West
Coast
Main
Line
would
have
delivered
excellent
value
for
customers
and
taxpayers
alike
by
adding
five
million
additional
seats
every
year
from
a
trusted
brand
with
a
track-record
for
delivering
award-winning,
reliable
train
services
for
its
customers.

‘Today’s
decision
is
a
blow
for
consumer
choice
and
competition. 
We
still
believe,
that
given
the
opportunity,
Virgin’s
Open
Access
routes
could
play
a
valuable
role
in
delivering
the
high-quality
train
services
the
British
public
deserve
and
GBR
wants
to
encourage.

’Virgin
Trains
took
the
West
Coast
Main
Line
from
eight
million
to
42
million
passengers
per
year,
all
while
increasing
innovation,
topping
customer
satisfaction
surveys
and
trebling
services.
Anyone
who
remembers
British
Rail
would
rather
forget
it.
Competition
improves
services,
increases
rail
ridership,
and
drives
better
results
for
everyone,
including
the
taxpayer.

‘For
now,
Virgin
is
focused
on
bringing
much-needed
competition
to
the
cross-Channel
route
by
igniting
a
new
era
in
international
rail
services
for
travellers
on
both
sides
of
the
Channel.’

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you
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