MPs, local council leaders, businesses and academics gathered in Manchester this week to show their support for a new high-speed rail service linking Rochdale with London for the first time in 25 years, in a boost to local jobs, growth and connectivity in the Northwest.
The route would also call at Newton-le-Willows, creating a regular rail link direct between the town and the capital, with plans for six services to run each day.
The link is the idea of FirstGroup plc, who submitted an application for its Lumo business to run the service to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) for approval back in May.
If approved, it would mean travellers can jump on the train and Newton-le-Willows, and go direct to London Euston, stopping only once, at Warrington Bank Quay.
This is great news for local travellers, who want a quick and easy way to get into the capital for either business or pleasure.
Lumo, a brand which is aiming to set itself apart from others on both reliability and price, has already introduced services to improve long-distance connectivity between London and Edinburgh and helped support a growth in passenger numbers for all operators on the East Coast Mainline.
Regional leaders, including Paul Waugh, MP for Rochdale, David Baines, MP for St Helens, and Cllr Seve Gomez-Aspron, Deputy Leader of St Helens Borough Council, got together this week to discuss the plans and the benefits the services will deliver.
Cllr Seve Gomez-Aspron MBE, Deputy Leader of St Helens Borough Council and Cabinet member for Transport, said: “Newton-le-Willows station has become the busiest station in St Helens Borough, benefiting from a £19m makeover in 2019 and 450-space car park.
“Lumo’s proposal to run six daily services between the station and the Capital will give residents and commuters direct access to London stimulating local regeneration and growth, as well as providing more frequent local services to nearby towns in Warrington and Manchester.”
Chris Fletcher, Director of Policy at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, said: “The Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce represents 4,500 businesses across the region. This transformative service proposal by Lumo aligns with the thriving business community, particularly in the rapidly growing tech, media and creative sectors, as well as the robust academic ecosystem in Salford and Manchester. Strong transport connections are key to productivity, enabling businesses to access the capital more effectively and attract vital investment to Greater Manchester.”
When could the first rail services between Newton-le-Willows and London begin?
Lumo now awaits approval from the Office of Road and Rail, and must have talks with Network Rail about how this service could be included into the national timetable. If it gets the go ahead, the services are expected to start in 2027.
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