Key Points
- The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) turned down Lumo’s amended application for a new train service between Rochdale and London Euston.
- The proposal included up to four daily return services on weekdays and Saturdays, and three on Sundays, to start by 2028.
- It argued that the southern part of the West Coast Main Line does not have enough capacity to handle an extra train service without increasing risks of delays and cancellations.
- Rochdale MP Paul Waugh expressed his disappointment and vowed to keep pushing for better transport connections to Manchester and London.
- The operator of Lumo, FirstGroup, stated that it will consider what to do next after the regulator refused the amended proposal.
- The ORR also refused the application of Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway Company for four daily return services between Wrexham and London Euston, and that of Avanti West Coast for additional Blackpool-Euston services.
- It approved the use of passenger access on the existing 19:29 service from Chester to Euston operated by Avanti till December 2030.
- This decision came after the rejection of applications for additional services on the West Coast Main Line by Lumo, WSMR and Virgin Trains in July 2025.
Rochdale (Manchester Mirror) October 10, 2026 — Plans for direct trains between Rochdale and London Euston have been rejected by the Office of Rail and Road, prompting disappointment from Rochdale’s MP and the operator behind the proposal.
As reported by Roch Valley Radio, Lumo had hoped to introduce four daily return services between Rochdale and London Euston, with services planned to begin by 2028. The proposal had received the backing of Rochdale MP Paul Waugh.
The ORR said its assessment found that adding more services to the West Coast Main Line would likely increase delays and cancelled trains for passengers. It concluded that the southern section of the route remains under significant pressure and does not have enough timetable resilience to absorb additional services.
In its decision, published on October 8, the regulator said gaps in the current timetable provide important space for trains to recover when disruption occurs. The ORR said filling those gaps with more services would reduce that recovery capacity and increase the risk of disruption spreading across the network.
Stephanie Tobyn, the ORR’s director of strategy, policy and reform, said: “New services, destinations and greater choice can bring real benefits for passengers and communities. But the West Coast Main Line is already under significant pressure, with performance reflecting limited resilience on a heavily used part of the rail network.”
She added: “Our detailed analysis has shown that adding more trains to the current timetable would reduce the ability to recover when disruption occurs, increasing the risk of delays spreading and making reliability of the network worse for all passengers.”
What Did Lumo Propose for Rochdale?
Lumo, the low-cost rail operator owned by FirstGroup, applied for access rights to run four daily return services between Rochdale and London Euston on weekdays and Saturdays. It also proposed three daily return services on Sundays.
As reported by the Manchester Evening News, the proposed route would have included stops at Manchester Victoria, Eccles, Newton-le-Willows and Warrington Bank Quay. The service was intended to provide a direct connection between Rochdale and the capital, with Lumo aiming to launch operations by 2028.
FirstGroup said it amended its plans after the ORR’s initial decision, taking account of feedback from the regulator. The company argued that the revised proposal would have delivered economic benefits for passengers and communities.
A spokesperson for FirstGroup said: “We are disappointed that the ORR has declined our revised application for new Lumo services between London and Rochdale, and we are considering our next steps.”
The spokesperson said: “Following the initial decision, we amended our plans in line with feedback and believe the revised proposal demonstrated strong economic benefits for passengers and communities.”
FirstGroup added that the service would have brought competition to the route, including greater choice, lower fares and new opportunities for growth across Manchester and the North West.
The company said: “Open access services have an important role to play in improving connectivity, attracting more people to rail and supporting economic development, all at no cost to the public purse.”
It added: “We remain convinced that this route offered a compelling case for investment and long-term benefits for communities, businesses and the wider regional economy.”
What Did Paul Waugh Say About the Decision?
Paul Waugh, Rochdale’s MP, said he was deeply disappointed by the ORR’s decision. He said the proposed direct service would have mattered to people in Rochdale and the wider borough.
As quoted by Roch Valley Radio, Mr Waugh said: “I am deeply disappointed that the ORR has rejected the proposal for a direct Rochdale to London service. I know how much this would have meant to people in Rochdale and the wider borough, and I remain committed to improving our connections with both Manchester and London.”
He said there were still reasons to be hopeful about future rail improvements in the region. Mr Waugh pointed to the Bee Network, which is expected to bring greater integration of local rail services across Greater Manchester from 2028 onwards.
He also referred to the government’s progress on Northern Powerhouse Rail and its long-term intention to develop a new rail connection between Birmingham and Manchester to increase capacity on the West Coast Main Line.
Mr Waugh said: “These are important investments in our rail network, and I will continue to make the case for Rochdale to benefit from better and more reliable transport links, including to London.”
Which Other Rail Applications Were Rejected?
The ORR did not reject Lumo’s application in isolation. It also rejected an application from the Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway Company (WSMR) for four return services between Wrexham and London Euston.
The regulator also rejected Avanti West Coast’s application for additional Blackpool to Euston services. The ORR said its assessment found that additional services on the West Coast Main Line would likely worsen delays and cancellations for passengers.
The decision letter stated that the applications from Lumo NW and WSMR had been rejected “in their entireties”. It also noted that the capacity and performance of the southern section of the West Coast Main Line had not materially changed since similar applications were rejected in 2025.
In July 2025, the ORR rejected applications from WSMR, Lumo NW and Virgin Trains for additional West Coast Main Line services. The regulator said at the time that there was insufficient capacity to introduce the proposed services without a detrimental impact on performance.
Was Any New Rail Access Approved?
Despite rejecting the main applications, the ORR approved passenger access on Avanti West Coast’s weekday 19:29 Chester to Euston service until December 2030.
The ORR said the train already runs as a fully crewed empty service, meaning its approval would not add another train to the route. However, it said the decision would benefit passengers by allowing them to use the service.
The approval provides a limited expansion of passenger access without introducing an additional service into the already pressured West Coast Main Line timetable.
Background of the Development
The Rochdale to London Euston proposal has been considered by the ORR on more than one occasion. In 2025, Lumo NW applied to operate six return services between Rochdale and London Euston, while WSMR sought permission for five return services between Wrexham General and London Euston.
The ORR rejected those applications in July 2025, saying there was insufficient capacity on the West Coast Main Line South to accommodate them without harming performance. It said the proposed services would have used “firebreaks” — gaps in the timetable needed to allow services to recover after disruption.
Lumo submitted a revised application in October 2025 under Section 17 of the Railways Act 1993. It sought firm access rights to operate four return trains from Rochdale to London Euston under a 10-year contract.
The ORR’s latest decision letter said its own analysis, external commissioned analysis and evidence from Network Rail indicated that the proposed Rochdale services were not currently operationally viable within the existing timetable structure. It cited unresolved issues relating to capacity, timetable robustness and performance resilience.
Prediction: How This Affects Rochdale Passengers
For Rochdale passengers, the decision means there will be no direct Lumo-operated service to London Euston under the current proposal. Travellers are likely to continue using existing services, including connections through Manchester, rather than being able to board a direct train from Rochdale to the capital.
The decision may also delay the possibility of increased competition on the route. Lumo had argued that its service would have offered greater choice and lower fares, although the ORR’s decision means those potential benefits will not be introduced at this stage.
Passengers may instead see improvements through wider regional rail investment. Mr Waugh highlighted the Bee Network’s planned integration of local rail services across Greater Manchester from 2028, alongside longer-term proposals for Northern Powerhouse Rail and a new Birmingham-Manchester rail connection.
The ORR’s position suggests that any future direct Rochdale-London service would depend on changes to capacity, timetable resilience and performance on the West Coast Main Line. Until those conditions change, passengers in Rochdale and the wider borough are unlikely to see the proposed direct service introduced.
