Hull Trains guaranteed 7 trains a day to London till 2014

First Hull Trains's 'Back our Bid' campaign has been successful. The Office for Rail Regulation (ORR) has today said it is minded to allow the company to continue operating all 7 of it's existing daily services between Hull and London Kings Cross. There is a reduced weekend frequency. These services also stop in the region at Brough and Howden.

However the campaigning is not all over yet, First Hull Trains was not awarded the 10 year track access rights it asked for; it only got 6 years. It also wants restrictions on the number of services that can stop at Stevenage to be lifted. Looking further ahead it wishes to introduce a 8th daily service between Hull and the Capital.

Also today the ORR said it was prepared to approve National Express East Coast's plans for a daily Cleethorpes to London Kings Cross service, which would also serve Grimsby. However further consultation is needed because they may affect other operators track access rights.

Today's ORR announcement also included good news for Grand Central and Grand Northern, but the ORR said they were minded to refuse proposals from Platinum Trains and from First Hull Trains to set up a new company, First Harrogate Trains, to link Harrogate and the Capital.

First Hull Trains Press Release - http://www.hulltrains.co.uk/latestnews.php?id=240
The full ORR decision - http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/ecml-cap2_propdec_280109.pdf