REG-FirstGroup Plc: Award of open access rail extensions

FirstgroupAnnouncement

29/07/2025 08:00

FIRSTGROUP PLC

Award of Open access rail extensions

 

FirstGroup plc (the `Group') is pleased to announce that it has been awarded
extensions to its Hull Trains and Lumo open access rail services by the Office
of Rail and Road (`ORR'). These include:

 

-          an extension of Lumo's service to and from Glasgow Queen
Street, calling at Falkirk High and Edinburgh Haymarket from December 2025 -
this includes one southbound service between Edinburgh and Glasgow on weekdays
and one extension in each direction on Sundays

-          an additional daily return service on Lumo between
Newcastle and London from December 2025

-          One additional Hull Trains service between London and Hull
on weekdays and Saturdays from December 2025

 

The additional services will add another c.118m seat miles to the Group's
existing open access capacity of 967m - c.19m from the Glasgow service, c.76m
from the additional Lumo service and c.23m from the additional Hull Trains
service. Combined with the Group's new Stirling and Carmarthen services
expected to launch in mid CY 2026 and December 2027 respectively, the Group
will more than double its existing open access capacity.

 

The Group is disappointed that the ORR has not approved its application for a
new Hull Trains service between London and Sheffield and will continue to
explore further potential opportunities for the route. The proposed route
would have provided Sheffield the first regular service from London King's
Cross since 1968 and an estimated 350,000 people in the Worksop and Woodhouse
catchment areas would have had direct rail access to London, with all of the
economic benefit this would have brought.

 

Commenting, Chief Executive Officer Graham Sutherland said:

"Open access rail operators bring significant private investment to both the
rail sector and UK manufacturing,  connect under-served communities and
deliver substantial economic and environmental benefits. 

 

We are pleased to have been awarded the extensions to our successful open
access rail operations. This is an important step in our efforts to materially
grow our open access business and will allow us to build on the substantial
benefits we are making to the communities we serve, and to attract even more
passengers to rail."

 

 Contacts at FirstGroup: Marianna Bowes, Head of Investor Relations Stuart Butchers, Group Head of Communications corporate.comms@firstgroup.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 20 7725 3354  Contact at Brunswick Group: Simone Selzer Tel: +44 (0) 20 7404 5959  

 

 Contacts at Panmure Liberum: Nicholas How / John More Tel: +44 (0) 20 3100 2000  Contacts at RBC Europe Limited: James Agnew / Elliot Thomas Tel: +44 (0) 20 7653 4000  

 

  

Forward-looking statements

Certain statements included or incorporated by reference within this document
may constitute `forward-looking statements' with respect to the business,
strategy and plans of the Group and our current goals, assumptions and
expectations relating to our future financial condition, performance and
results. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown
risks, assumptions, uncertainties and other factors that cause actual results,
performance or achievements of the Group to be materially different from any
future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements. No statement in this document should be construed
as a profit forecast for any period. Shareholders are cautioned not to place
undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Except as required by the UK
Listing Rules and applicable law, the Group does not undertake any obligation
to update or change any forward-looking statements to reflect events occurring
after the date of this document.

 

Notes

Legal Entity Identifier (LEI): 549300DEJZCPWA4HKM93. Classification as per DTR
6 Annex 1R: 3.1.

 

About FirstGroup

FirstGroup plc (LSE: FGP.L) is a leading private sector provider of public
transport services. With £5.1 billion in revenue and around 30,000 employees,
we transported almost 2m passengers a day in FY 2025. We create solutions that
reduce complexity, making travel smoother and life easier. Our businesses are
at the heart of our communities and the essential services we provide are
critical to delivering wider economic, social and environmental goals. Each of
our divisions is a leader in its field: First Bus is one of the largest bus
operators in the UK, serving more than 25% of the population in the UK with a
fleet of c.5,800 buses, and carrying more than a million passengers a day.
First Rail is one of the UK's most experienced rail operators, with many years
of experience running long-distance, commuter, regional and sleeper rail
services. We operate a fleet of c.3,800 locomotives and rail carriages through
two DfT contracted train operating companies: WCP (incorporating Avanti West
Coast and West Coast Partnership Development) and GWR, and two open access
routes (Hull Trains and Lumo). We are formally committed to operating a zero
emission First Bus commercial fleet by 2035, and First Rail will help support
the UK Government's goal to remove all diesel-only trains from service by
2040. During FY 2025 FirstGroup received MSCI's highest possible ESG rating of
AAA, was named one of the world's cleanest 200 public companies for the sixth
consecutive year and holds an Industry Top-Rated status with Sustainalytics
and Sustainability Yearbook membership with S&P Global. We provide easy and
convenient mobility, improving quality of life by connecting people and
communities. Visit our website at www.firstgroupplc.com and follow us
@firstgroupplc on X.

 

 

 



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