The UK Office of Rail & Road (ORR) rejected on October 8, 2026, applications from Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway (WSMR), FirstGroup’s Lumo NW, and Avanti West Coast (AWC) to operate new passenger services from London Euston to Wrexham, Rochdale, and Blackpool.
Capacity Issues Cited by Regulator
ORR concluded there is insufficient capacity on the southern section of the West Coast Main Line (WCML) to accommodate additional trains without harming overall performance. The regulator’s analysis found that adding services on this heavily used corridor would reduce the line’s ability to recover from disruption, thereby increasing delays and worsening reliability for all passengers.
Application Process and Network Rail’s Role
The applications were
submitted under Sections 17 and 22A of the Railways Act 1993 after failure to reach agreement with Network Rail on joint submissions. Network Rail did not support the Section 17 applications from Lumo and WSMR, and raised concerns about the Section 22A proposal from Avanti West Coast. These positions contributed to the ORR’s rejection decisions.
Detailed Analysis and Previous Rejections
The regulator’s decision follows a detailed and extensive evaluation of capacity and performance data, supported by an external review. The findings showed no significant improvement in WCML capacity or performance since similar applications by the same operators were previously refused in July 2025. These repeated
assessments justified maintaining the rejection stance.
Approved Service and Economic Considerations
While denying the proposed routes, ORR approved Avanti West Coast’s weekday 19:29 Chester to London Euston train to carry passengers. This service previously ran as an empty fully crewed move, so its conversion to a revenue service does not increase train frequency on the corridor. ORR emphasized that economic factors presented in the applications were not decisive; capacity and performance impacts drove the refusals.
Responses from Applicants and Politicians
WSMR expressed disappointment after approximately two and a half years of efforts to address statutory concerns and secure support from local communities, businesses, and officials. The company highlighted the potential
benefits to educational, leisure, and employment opportunities across North Wales, the Midlands, and London.
FirstGroup, parent of Lumo NW, signaled it was reviewing next steps. The operator maintained that revisions made in response to feedback demonstrated strong economic benefits and passenger advantages, including lower fares and expanded competition in Manchester and the northwest of England.
Avanti West Coast declined to comment directly, referencing the ORR’s decision letter.
Shrewsbury Labour MP Julia Buckley characterized the rejections as setbacks but reaffirmed her commitment to restoring direct London services through collaboration with the Department for Transport under Great British Railways nationalisation plans.
Impact on Passengers and Regulatory Position
The
denial of these applications means no new train services will operate on the West Coast Main Line routes to Wrexham, Rochdale, and Blackpool until capacity constraints are eased. Passengers will not see increased frequencies or new destinations on these corridors despite demonstrated demand and local support.
ORR reiterated its principle support for open access services to foster competition benefiting rail users. However, it prioritized maintaining current network performance and reliability over introducing additional trains where infrastructure limits exist.
