On October 8, 2026, the Office of Rail & Road (ORR) rejected applications from Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway (WSMR), FirstGroup’s Lumo NW, and Avanti West Coast (AWC) to introduce new open access passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London Euston and destinations including Wrexham, Rochdale, and Blackpool.
Capacity Constraints and Regulator Reasoning
The ORR’s decision was based on detailed analysis that found insufficient capacity on the West Coast Main Line. The regulator stated that adding additional trains would worsen network performance by increasing the risk of delays and reducing the timetable’s resilience to recover from disruption. Network Rail, the infrastructure manager,
did not support the applications from Lumo NW and WSMR and raised concerns about AWC’s proposal. An external review commissioned by ORR confirmed the capacity limitations. The regulator emphasized the decision was driven by capacity and performance impacts rather than the economic benefits of the applications. ORR affirmed that timetable gaps are essential to allow trains to recover from disruption and maintain overall network reliability.
Proposed and Approved Train Services
WSMR had applied for five daily return services between Wrexham and London Euston, with journey times of approximately three hours each way. Lumo NW proposed up to four return services on weekdays and Saturdays, plus
three on Sundays, connecting Rochdale and London Euston. Avanti West Coast sought to add services between Blackpool and London Euston but had only one service approved: a weekday 19:29 train from Chester to London Euston that will now carry passengers on a move previously operated empty with crew on board. All other new service requests were denied.
Regulatory and Policy Context
The applications were submitted under Sections 17 and 22A of the Railways Act 1993. The applications had also been rejected in July 2025 with no material changes in West Coast Main Line capacity reported since then. ORR reiterated its statutory duty to promote
competition for the benefit of passengers in principle and expressed support for open access rail services where feasible. ORR’s Director of Strategy, Policy & Reform, Stephanie Tobyn, highlighted that “new services, destinations and greater choice can bring real benefits for passengers and communities,” but confirmed that “adding more trains to the current timetable would reduce the ability to recover when disruption occurs, increasing the risk of delays spreading and making reliability of the network worse for all passengers.”
Responses from Applicants and Politicians
WSMR, supported by engineering company Alstom and consultancy SLC, expressed disappointment after more than two and a half years of engagement and
noted the service would have unlocked educational, leisure, and work opportunities across North Wales, the Midlands, and London corridors. FirstGroup, owner of Lumo NW, said it is considering further steps and maintained that its revised proposal demonstrated strong economic benefits and regional growth opportunities. Avanti West Coast declined to comment beyond referencing the ORR decision letter.
Shrewsbury Labour MP Julia Buckley criticized the rejection, citing a projected £9 million annual boost to the regional economy from the cancelled direct London service. She described the decision as a setback but affirmed her commitment to continue campaigning and collaborating with the Department
for Transport under the Great British Railways framework to restore vital connections.
Impact on Travellers
Passengers will not gain new direct train options on the West Coast Main Line routes between London and Wrexham, Rochdale, or Blackpool from the rejected applications. The continued capacity constraints risk higher delays and cancellations as timetable recovery buffers are maintained to manage existing disruptions. Only the weekday 19:29 Chester to London service operated by Avanti West Coast will carry passengers, providing limited additional capacity on the route.
