Latest news with #ORR
The Herald Scotland
14 hours ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
New London-Stirling train service expected to begin in 2026
Services will also call at Milton Keynes Central, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet, Greenfaulds and Larbert. There will be four return services a day (three on Sundays) on the full route, with an additional daily return service between Euston and Preston. This will provide more competition for several operators such as LNER and Avanti West Coast. READ MORE: FirstGroup holds track access rights from regulator the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) for the route on the West Coast Main Line until 2030. Trains will be operated under FirstGroup's Lumo brand, which currently runs only on the East Coast Main Line between London King's Cross and Edinburgh. The new West Coast services were initially planned to start this year, but FirstGroup said they are 'currently expected to commence mid-2026 following the delivery of the trains and staff training'. The company said the agreement with Eversholt Rail is for five Class 222 diesel trains, each with a capacity for about 340 standard-class seats. It expects the services will achieve annual sales of about £50 million and a 'low double-digit' operating profit margin. New rail services between London and central Scotland are expected to launch in mid-2026 The Government started the process of renationalising all remaining franchised train services last month when it brought South Western Railway into public ownership. Lumo runs on a separate open access basis, meaning it sets its own fares, takes on all revenue risk and receives no taxpayer-funded subsidies. In January, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander wrote to ORR chairman Declan Collier expressing concerns that the open access model can cause 'potential congestion' and result in taxpayers being 'left to fill shortfalls' in maintenance costs. She stated it is her 'expectation' that 'the impacts on the taxpayer and on overall performance' are 'given primacy' by the regulator when it analyses proposals. FirstGroup chief executive Graham Sutherland said: 'The mobilisation of our new service between London and Stirling is another important step towards rolling out Lumo as a nationwide operator and growing our open access capacity, a key priority for the group. 'Our investment and capabilities in open access rail have delivered reliable, value-for-money services, grown rail demand and helped to spur economic growth and connect communities. 'We look forward to doing the same on our new services.'
The Herald Scotland
17 hours ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
New London-Stirling train service expected to begin in mid-2026
Services will also call at Milton Keynes Central, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet, Greenfaulds and Larbert. There will be four return services a day (three on Sundays) on the full route, with an additional daily return service between Euston and Preston. This will provide more competition for several operators such as LNER and Avanti West Coast. FirstGroup holds track access rights from regulator the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) for the route on the West Coast Main Line until 2030. Trains will be operated under FirstGroup's Lumo brand, which currently runs only on the East Coast Main Line between London King's Cross and Edinburgh. The new West Coast services were initially planned to start this year, but FirstGroup said they are 'currently expected to commence mid-2026 following the delivery of the trains and staff training'. The company said the agreement with Eversholt Rail is for five Class 222 diesel trains, each with a capacity for about 340 standard-class seats. It expects the services will achieve annual sales of about £50 million and a 'low double-digit' operating profit margin. The Government started the process of renationalising all remaining franchised train services last month when it brought South Western Railway into public ownership. Lumo runs on a separate open access basis, meaning it sets its own fares, takes on all revenue risk and receives no taxpayer-funded subsidies. In January, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander wrote to ORR chairman Declan Collier expressing concerns that the open access model can cause 'potential congestion' and result in taxpayers being 'left to fill shortfalls' in maintenance costs. She stated it is her 'expectation' that 'the impacts on the taxpayer and on overall performance' are 'given primacy' by the regulator when it analyses proposals. FirstGroup chief executive Graham Sutherland said: 'The mobilisation of our new service between London and Stirling is another important step towards rolling out Lumo as a nationwide operator and growing our open access capacity, a key priority for the group. 'Our investment and capabilities in open access rail have delivered reliable, value-for-money services, grown rail demand and helped to spur economic growth and connect communities. 'We look forward to doing the same on our new services.'
The Independent
18 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
New London-Stirling train service expected to begin in mid-2026
New rail services between London and central Scotland are expected to launch in mid-2026 after an agreement was reached for the use of five trains. Transport giant FirstGroup said it has secured a deal with rolling stock company Eversholt Rail in relation to its planned new route between London Euston and the city of Stirling. Services will also call at Milton Keynes Central, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet, Greenfaulds and Larbert. There will be four return services a day (three on Sundays) on the full route, with an additional daily return service between Euston and Preston. This will provide more competition for several operators such as LNER and Avanti West Coast. FirstGroup holds track access rights from regulator the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) for the route on the West Coast Main Line until 2030. Trains will be operated under FirstGroup's Lumo brand, which currently runs only on the East Coast Main Line between London King's Cross and Edinburgh. The new West Coast services were initially planned to start this year, but FirstGroup said they are 'currently expected to commence mid-2026 following the delivery of the trains and staff training'. The company said the agreement with Eversholt Rail is for five Class 222 diesel trains, each with a capacity for about 340 standard-class seats. It expects the services will achieve annual sales of about £50 million and a 'low double-digit' operating profit margin. The Government started the process of renationalising all remaining franchised train services last month when it brought South Western Railway into public ownership. Lumo runs on a separate open access basis, meaning it sets its own fares, takes on all revenue risk and receives no taxpayer-funded subsidies. In January, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander wrote to ORR chairman Declan Collier expressing concerns that the open access model can cause 'potential congestion' and result in taxpayers being 'left to fill shortfalls' in maintenance costs. She stated it is her 'expectation' that 'the impacts on the taxpayer and on overall performance' are 'given primacy' by the regulator when it analyses proposals. FirstGroup chief executive Graham Sutherland said: 'The mobilisation of our new service between London and Stirling is another important step towards rolling out Lumo as a nationwide operator and growing our open access capacity, a key priority for the group. 'Our investment and capabilities in open access rail have delivered reliable, value-for-money services, grown rail demand and helped to spur economic growth and connect communities. 'We look forward to doing the same on our new services.'
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
New London-Stirling train service expected to begin in mid-2026
New rail services between London and central Scotland are expected to launch in mid-2026 after an agreement was reached for the use of five trains. Transport giant FirstGroup said it has secured a deal with rolling stock company Eversholt Rail in relation to its planned new route between London Euston and the city of Stirling. Services will also call at Milton Keynes Central, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet, Greenfaulds and Larbert. There will be four return services a day (three on Sundays) on the full route, with an additional daily return service between Euston and Preston. This will provide more competition for several operators such as LNER and Avanti West Coast. FirstGroup holds track access rights from regulator the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) for the route on the West Coast Main Line until 2030. Trains will be operated under FirstGroup's Lumo brand, which currently runs only on the East Coast Main Line between London King's Cross and Edinburgh. The new West Coast services were initially planned to start this year, but FirstGroup said they are 'currently expected to commence mid-2026 following the delivery of the trains and staff training'. The company said the agreement with Eversholt Rail is for five Class 222 diesel trains, each with a capacity for about 340 standard-class seats. It expects the services will achieve annual sales of about £50 million and a 'low double-digit' operating profit margin. The Government started the process of renationalising all remaining franchised train services last month when it brought South Western Railway into public ownership. Lumo runs on a separate open access basis, meaning it sets its own fares, takes on all revenue risk and receives no taxpayer-funded subsidies. In January, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander wrote to ORR chairman Declan Collier expressing concerns that the open access model can cause 'potential congestion' and result in taxpayers being 'left to fill shortfalls' in maintenance costs. She stated it is her 'expectation' that 'the impacts on the taxpayer and on overall performance' are 'given primacy' by the regulator when it analyses proposals. FirstGroup chief executive Graham Sutherland said: 'The mobilisation of our new service between London and Stirling is another important step towards rolling out Lumo as a nationwide operator and growing our open access capacity, a key priority for the group. 'Our investment and capabilities in open access rail have delivered reliable, value-for-money services, grown rail demand and helped to spur economic growth and connect communities. 'We look forward to doing the same on our new services.' Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
‘Will Give My Life for Kannada': Actor Shivarajkumar on Kamal Haasan's language controversy
As controversy brews over actor Kamal Haasan's recent remarks about the Kannada language, Kannada superstar Shiva Rajkumar has strongly reiterated his deep-rooted commitment to his mother tongue. Also Read - Bengaluru's midnight gridlock: ORR choked near Marathahalli due to ongoing metro work. Video Speaking to reporters, Shiva Rajkumar declared, 'Kannada is my first option, without a doubt. All languages are important, but Kannada comes first for me. I can give my life for Kannada. When there's an issue involving Karnataka, I'm always the first to stand up.' Shiva Rajkumar's remarks come in the wake of a storm triggered by Kamal Haasan's alleged comment at a promotional event in Chennai for his upcoming film Thug Life, where he said, 'Kannada is born out of Tamil.' The statement drew sharp criticism across Karnataka, with language activists and cinephiles condemning Haasan for what they saw as an inaccurate and offensive remark. The backlash extended to Shiva Rajkumar as well, after his initial response defending Haasan drew criticism from pro-Kannada groups. He had earlier expressed admiration for the veteran Tamil actor, saying, 'Kamal Sir has always spoken highly of Kannada and Bengaluru. He's always shown affection for our city. I've been his fan for years — he's more than just a superstar to me, he's an inspiration. While my father is family, Kamal Sir is someone I deeply admire, just like anyone might have a favourite actor.' However, the defence did not sit well with some activists, who questioned Shiva Rajkumar's stance. In response, the actor has now made it clear that while he respects all languages and personalities, Kannada holds a place above all else in his heart. Also Read - Bengaluru woman alleges gold, diamond theft from SBI locker, police book bank officials: Report Meanwhile, Kamal Haasan has refused to issue a public apology. Addressing the media, he said, 'This is a democratic country. I will not apologise if I believe I've done nothing wrong. I believe in law and justice.' In response to the controversy, the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) has taken a firm stand. On Saturday, KFCC member and former president Sa Ra Govindu announced that Haasan's film Thug Life would not be allowed to release in Karnataka until a formal apology is made. 'We support the Kannada organisations demanding an apology from Kamal Haasan. Until he issues one, the film will not be released in the state,' Govindu said, speaking to reporters in Bengaluru.
