Lumo in talks over direct train service to Glasgow

OPTION COULD START IN 2025

TRANSPORT company Firstgroup has announced plans for some of its London-edinburgh Lumo services that call at Newcastle to be extended to and from Glasgow.

The company said it is in discussions with Scottish Government agency Transport Scotland and infrastructure management company Network Rail about route options and timings.

Direct trains between London and Glasgow are currently operated by Avanti West Coast.

Although these trains do not go through the North East, Firstgroup said a “significant number” of Lumo passengers currently travel to and from connections.

Firstgroup is hoping to submit an application to regulator the Office of Rail and Road, in the hope of beginning Glasgow services in summer 2025.

Chief executive Graham Sutherland said: “We are very pleased to be looking at options to grow our popular Lumo train service by extending the service from Edinburgh to Glasgow from next year.

“We have seen the level of growth and opportunity that is possible with new open access connections, including the significant environmental benefits of passengers switching to rail. We will be working closely with stakeholders as we refine this opportunity and our case for this new offering.”

Glasgow via other

Lumo, which was launched in October 2021, runs on an open access basis, meaning it receives no taxpayer-funded subsidies and takes on all revenue risk. Most train operators in England are paid a management fee, with the UK Government holding responsibility for costs and revenue.

It runs 10 trains a day between Newcastle, London and Edinburgh, with some stops at Morpeth and Stevenage. The company started operations in 2021 and uses all-electric trains assembled at Hitachi’ in County Durham.

Rail minister Hew Merriman said last week the open access system “goes from strength to strength” and he plans to “speed up” the application process and attract more operators by making unused timetable slots available.