Lockdown forces third suspension of open access services

Open access operators have suspended East Coast Main Line services for a third time in less than 12 months, due to the pandemic.

Grand Central and Hull Trains both announced on January 5 that services would finish on January 9. GC said it hoped to restart on March 1; HT gave no return date.

A GC spokesman said: “It’s hugely disappointing for us to be starting 2021 by removing our trains from the communities they serve.

“However, even before the total lockdown, the impact of tightening tier restrictions and ongoing engineering work on the ECML had caused a major drop in passenger demand for January and February.” Some staff will switch to the furlough scheme.

HT Managing Director Louise Cheeseman told RAIL on January 6: “From December 19, when London went into Tier 4, we anticipated a drop in numbers. But we don’t just serve London, we are an interchange, too. We feared the worst following January 4’s announcement.”

Cheeseman said that previously HT had been carrying about

15% of its pre-COVID passenger numbers, adding: “Bookings were strong for Christmas and New Year, but the number of passengers that appeared was about 20% against the bookings.

“Local people have recognised they need us. I have not put a return date because I don’t want to raise expectations. We are looking at it on a week-by-week basis.”

She said crews will be furloughed, as will many backroom staff. However, there is an option for staff to support FirstGroup’s work in setting up its East Coast open access operations.

She also told RAIL that the owning group has never said HT cannot continue.

“Our business is 45% leisure

- and that will get bigger. The advantage for open access is we can be flexible and innovate.”