ORR blocks FirstGroup's West Coast expansion plans over capacity and delay risks.
Public transport operator Firstgroup said on Thursday that the Office of Rail and Road had rejected proposals for new West Coast main line services, citing capacity constraints and the risk of worsening delays for passengers.
FirstGroup
08 October 2026 10:03:55
Source: Sharecast
The regulator turned down applications from Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway for four daily return services between Wrexham and London Euston, and from Lumo for up to four return Rochdale–Euston trains. Avanti West Coast's bid to add further Blackpool to Euston services was also refused.
ORR said detailed analysis showed the southern section of the route had seen no material improvement in capacity or performance since similar applications were rejected in 2025.
It added that gaps in the timetable were essential for recovery during disruption, and that inserting additional services into these windows would reduce resilience and increase the likelihood of delays spreading across the network.
However, ORR approved access for Avanti's 19:29 Chester to Euston weekday service to carry passengers until December 2030. The train already operates as a fully crewed empty service, meaning the decision adds no extra path to the route but provides additional benefit for travellers.
As of 1000 BST, FirstGroup shares were down 1.97% at 182.92p.
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