Competition is set to intensify on the West Coast Main Line as open-access operator Lumo launches new services between Stirling and London Euston from 25 May. The first train departs Stirling at 8:50 am, with the initial northbound service leaving London at 4:36 pm. Fares will start at under £30 each way, with only standard class available.
New stations and routes
The service will call at three Scottish stations—Larbert, Greenfaulds (serving Cumbernauld), and Whifflet (serving Coatbridge)—that previously had no direct trains to or from London. Additional stops include Motherwell and Lockerbie in Scotland, as well as Carlisle, Preston, Crewe, Nuneaton, and Milton Keynes Central in England.
Stuart Jones, managing director of First Rail Open Access, said: "This is a very exciting moment in our journey to launching a pioneering new service for the West Coast. Customers can look forward to simple, low-cost fares with an excellent experience on our services between Scotland, the northwest of England and London."
Competition with Avanti West Coast
This marks the first time incumbent operator Avanti West Coast will face open-access competition. Avanti West Coast is a joint venture between FirstGroup—owner of Lumo—and Trenitalia, and is scheduled for nationalisation on 18 October under the government's rail renationalisation programme.
The Office for Rail and Road (ORR) approved the Lumo project in March 2024, before Labour came to power. ORR strategy director Stephanie Tobyn stated: "Our decision helps increase services for passengers and boost competition on Britain's railway network. By providing more trains serving new destinations, open access operators offer passengers more choice in the origin and price of their journey leading to better outcomes for rail users."
Government caution on competition
Ministers remain cautious about expanding competition. Speaking in May 2025 ahead of nationalising South Western Railway, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: "I'm clear that there is a role for open access operators going forward. But we need to make sure that the open access operators coexist with the public sector operator in a way which maximises benefit and value to the travelling public."
Lumo already operates on the East Coast Main Line, linking Glasgow, Falkirk, and Edinburgh with Morpeth, Newcastle, and London.
