Trains ‘back to normal’

East Midlands trains return to 97% pre-virus service

INTERCITY rail services between Leicester and London will return to normal next week.

East Midlands Railway (EMR) said it is reintroducing a comprehensive timetable, five months after services were scaled back.

The firm said an almost full compliment of trains will run again from Monday, September 7.

Their return is part of a wider increase of EMR’s timetables, which will see 97 per cent of the pre-Covid services reintroduced.

The rail operator said the decision had been taken to “coincide with the reopening of schools and more businesses to provide additional capacity and services”.

It includes a “full service” between Leicester and London St Pancras.

An EMR spokesman said: “Alongside this significant increase in train services, we will also reintroduce a limited at-seat catering service for first class customers on weekdays.

“This will include a breakfast offering until 11am and then an allday service through until the last train of the day.

“The catering offer will be fully complementary and has been redesigned to strictly limit contact between customers and our staff.”

There will be some “minor changes” to the times of one morning and one evening service at peak times.

“This is to continue the high levels of punctuality provided to customers in recent months,” the spokesman said.

“Customers must continue to wear a face covering, unless they are exempt. Anyone who refuses to wear one is liable to be fined £100.”

Hand sanitisers will also be provided at Leicester, Market Harborough and Loughborough stations.

Chris Wright, EMR’s commercial director, said: “The reintroduction of our full timetable is the result of a lot of hard work behind the scenes and we hope it will help social distancing as well as providing safe and convenient journeys.”