The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has rejected proposed plans for direct train services from London to Wrexham and Rochdale due to limited capacity on the West Coast Main Line. The decision was based on the current heavy usage of the railway, which does not allow for additional services without risking increased delays and reduced reliability.
Alongside these proposals, plans for additional London-Blackpool services were also turned down. The ORR emphasized the importance of maintaining timetable gaps, which are essential for allowing trains to recover from disruptions and preventing the spread of delays across the network.
These recent rejections follow previous denials of similar proposals for direct services to Wrexham and Rochdale. The Wrexham service would have introduced a new direct link between the Welsh town and London, while a proposed Lumo service aimed to connect Rochdale with the capital. Despite these rejections, the ORR did approve an additional evening service operated by Avanti from London to Chester, utilizing a train that would otherwise return to a depot without passengers.
The regulator’s assessment revealed that capacity and performance conditions on the southern section of the West Coast Main Line have remained largely unchanged since past proposals were rejected. This consistent lack of capacity continues to be a significant barrier to the introduction of new direct services.