Grand Central Railway Company
Grand Central welcomes final approval for launch of new high speed rail services from Sunderland/Hartlepool to London
Grand Central Railway Company Ltd. (Grand Central) is a York-based company, which has developed plans to launch new high quality train services from Sunderland/Hartlepool and from Bradford/Halifax to London. These new services will be operated on a fully commercial basis, without any Government subsidy.
The Board of Grand Central welcomes the announcement today from the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), confirming its approval for Grand Central to begin operation of high speed passenger train services from Sunderland and Hartlepool to London. This confirms the ORRs provisional decision, announced on 27 January.
Final approval of Grand Centrals application for the Track Access Agreement necessary to launch its services follows a full days regulatory hearing at the ORR on 6 March to consider this and two related applications from GNER and Hull Trains.
Grand Central will now begin the detailed process of preparing for the launch of its services, including the procurement of rolling stock and the recruitment of drivers and other essential personnel. Details will also be announced shortly of the companys management and shareholding structure.
Ian Yeowart, Grand Central Managing Director, comments:
We are obviously delighted at confirmation of the provisional decision. As has been clearly proved, and identified by the ORR, the overall business and economic case for the North East was compelling, and we are grateful to all those who have contributed to this successful outcome.
We are pleased that the ORR has stood firm in the face of fierce, unjustified and ill informed criticism, and has rightly approved new services which strike the correct balance of the ORRs statutory duties.
It is now time to move on, work with the industry to identify the additional paths required, and look at ways of delivering the Bradford, Halifax and West Yorkshire services that cannot be accommodated at the moment.
Grand Central welcomes final approval for launch of new high speed rail services from Sunderland/Hartlepool to London
Grand Central Railway Company Ltd. (Grand Central) is a York-based company, which has developed plans to launch new high quality train services from Sunderland/Hartlepool and from Bradford/Halifax to London. These new services will be operated on a fully commercial basis, without any Government subsidy.
The Board of Grand Central welcomes the announcement today from the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), confirming its approval for Grand Central to begin operation of high speed passenger train services from Sunderland and Hartlepool to London. This confirms the ORRs provisional decision, announced on 27 January.
Final approval of Grand Centrals application for the Track Access Agreement necessary to launch its services follows a full days regulatory hearing at the ORR on 6 March to consider this and two related applications from GNER and Hull Trains.
Grand Central will now begin the detailed process of preparing for the launch of its services, including the procurement of rolling stock and the recruitment of drivers and other essential personnel. Details will also be announced shortly of the companys management and shareholding structure.
Ian Yeowart, Grand Central Managing Director, comments:
We are obviously delighted at confirmation of the provisional decision. As has been clearly proved, and identified by the ORR, the overall business and economic case for the North East was compelling, and we are grateful to all those who have contributed to this successful outcome.
We are pleased that the ORR has stood firm in the face of fierce, unjustified and ill informed criticism, and has rightly approved new services which strike the correct balance of the ORRs statutory duties.
It is now time to move on, work with the industry to identify the additional paths required, and look at ways of delivering the Bradford, Halifax and West Yorkshire services that cannot be accommodated at the moment.