Grand Central seeks more trains to King’s Cross

Open access operator Grand Central has applied to run more trains, and to start calling at Peterborough.

Owned by Arriva, the company has begun consulting with train operating companies and Network Rail to run an additional return service to the North East, as well as more trains between West Yorkshire and London. Once consultation is complete, an application will be submitted to the Office of Rail and Road.

Grand Central plans to run six daily return trains between the North East and London (increased from five), with the extra train leaving Sunderland mid-morning and returning mid-afternoon from King’s Cross.

For its West Yorkshire route, there would be six trains to London with a train from Bradford Interchange running late-afternoon as well as an early-morning train from Wakefield Kirkgate arriving in the capital before 0730.

Five will return through the day (currently there are four) with a ten-coach train leaving London before 2200 that would split at Doncaster with five coaches running to Wakefield and five to York.

These will add some 1,600 additional seats and would use the existing Class 180 fleet.

The Peterborough stops are planned for the early-morning and late-evening West Yorkshire trains and two Sunderland services.

GC Managing Director Richard McClean said: “The proposed services are essential to encouraging competition in the rail market and to connecting communities and businesses.”