Plans for a new direct local train service to Manchester have been revealed

Plans for new train services between London and Manchester have been revealed following the cancellation of the northern section of HS2. Operator London Northwestern Railway is seeking permission to extend its existing services – which run between the capital and Crewe – to Manchester Victoria via the West Midlands.

It is looking to use the same track space on the West Coast Main Line for which Virgin Trains and Lumo have announced open access bids. A decision on which services can be launched will be made by the Department for Transport and the regulator the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).

If London Northwestern Railway’s proposal gets the go-ahead, new direct links from Rugeley, Lichfield, Tamworth and Atherstone in the West Midlands to central Manchester and Warrington will be introduced from summer 2026 using Class 730 electric trains.

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Last October, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak scrapped plans to extend HS2 between the West Midlands and Manchester amid rising costs.

Ian McConnell, managing director of London Northwestern Railway, owner of West Midlands Trains, said: “This proposal puts passengers at the heart of the railway and is the common sense solution to increase connectivity between the North West and West Midlands following the cancellation of the northern leg of HS2 .

“With platform space at Euston at a premium, the best way to provide new travel opportunities to Manchester is simply to extend existing services rather than trying to squeeze more trains onto the busy West Coast Main Line .

“Furthermore, unlike the open access model, the millions of pounds of extra revenue our proposals would generate would be returned to the taxpayer, providing a benefit for rail passengers.

“As we have shown with our existing long-distance services to Birmingham and Liverpool, our new eco-friendly electric trains will provide an affordable alternative to car and coach, with fares up to 50% cheaper than the main intercity operator. .”

Most train operators in England – including London Northwestern Railway – receive an administration charge, with the UK government responsible for costs and revenue.

Open access operators receive no taxpayer-funded subsidies and bear all revenue risks. There are concerns that these services are putting extra pressure on the rail network and taking too much revenue from conventional operators.

Dominic Booth, chief executive of West Midlands Trains’ parent company, Transport UK Group, said: “Our new service proposals are a significant step forward in improving the rail network between Manchester and London.

“By leveraging the new Class 730 electric trains, we will provide more capacity and comfort for customers traveling to Manchester, while supporting the local economy by creating new job opportunities in the North West.

“This proposal aligns with our commitment to delivering efficient, sustainable and customer-focused rail services across the UK.”

London Northwestern Railway is also proposing to start running trains to Manchester Airport by extending its existing service between Stafford and Crewe.

It plans to formally unveil its ORR plans later this year.

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