The UK is set for a huge railway boost after a new line connecting Scotland with major English cities has been given the green light. Rail regulator the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said it has approved an application by Grand Union Trains to operate four daily return services between London Euston and Stirling from June 2025.
And it is not just Stirling – known as the gateway to the Highlands – that will benefit. The service will also stop at Lockerbie in Dumfries and Galloway, Motherwell, Whifflet and Greenfaulds in North Lanarkshire, and Larbert in Falkirk.
It is hoped the service will provide more competition for several operators such as LNER and Avanti West Coast. The ORR said it found that the plan submitted by Grand Union Trains would increase choice for passengers.
It will also significantly increase direct journey options between London and both central and southern Scotland, while making use of existing capacity on the network.
The regulator’s director of strategy, policy and reform Stephanie Tobyn said: “Our decision helps increase services for passengers and boost competition on Britain’s railway network. By providing more trains serving new destinations, open access operators offer passengers more choice in the origin and price of their journey, leading to better outcomes for rail users.”
The service will also stop at Milton Keynes Central, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston and Carlisle in England. Grand Union Trains will run on an open access basis, meaning it will receive no taxpayer-funded subsidies and take on all revenue risk.
It will be the first open access operator on the West Coast Main Line. Most train operators in England are paid a management fee, with the UK Government holding responsibility for costs and revenue while ScotRail and Transport for Wales Rail are under public ownership.
Operators say the line will avoid congested Edinburgh and Glasgow stations offering a faster journey south without changes. In the longer term it also wants to roll out electric or dual mode trains. But currently, its train service aims to offer a speed of 125mph.
Ticket prices and specific journey times have not been confirmed, but it’s thought it will shave off time from the current link from Stirling to London. This is operated by LNER from King’s Cross, and stops in Ediburgh before heading south. In all, this takes around five hours.
A Caledonian Sleeper service from Euston takes nearly eight hours.
Among the benefits, GUT says there will be refreshments on offer regardless of ticket price and more leg room and more space for passenger luggage.
Tickets will be able to be bought in advance or on the train, and railcards will also be accepted. In a bid to ensure everyone gets a seat, the operator said it will compensate anyone who finds themselves standing.
While the plans are a major step forward, they are not new. Initial applications were submitted in 2019 with the hope of the new line being up and running by 2021. But with the acceptance only happening in March 2024, the project has somewhat stalled by three years.
