The Office of Rail and Road has denied multiple proposals to expand passenger train services on the West Coast Main Line. Applications submitted by Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway, Lumo, and Avanti West Coast were all rejected by the regulator.
The ORR stated that introducing additional services would likely worsen overall network performance. The regulator emphasized that existing gaps in the timetable serve as critical recovery windows when disruptions occur. Adding more trains during these periods would reduce the line’s ability to manage delays effectively, potentially causing disruptions to cascade across other services and affect more passengers overall.
Stephanie Tobyn from the ORR noted that while new services and destinations can benefit passengers and communities, the West Coast Main Line already operates under significant capacity constraints. The regulator’s analysis determined that the heavily used corridor lacks sufficient resilience to accommodate additional trains without compromising reliability for all users.
This decision follows similar rejections in 2025. A parliamentary petition supporting the Wrexham-London services, initiated by Julia Buckley, MP for Shrewsbury, garnered sufficient signatures to warrant discussion in parliament earlier this year. The Department for Transport acknowledged potential connectivity benefits at that time but stated it could not direct the ORR’s independent decision-making process.
Buckley expressed disappointment with the rejection but indicated her intention to continue advocating for the services. WSMR representatives also stated dissatisfaction with the outcome, noting they had spent considerable effort addressing concerns from statutory consultees over the preceding period. The company emphasized that improved connectivity could drive economic growth and productivity in the north Wales, Midlands, and London corridor.
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