Journeys between Sheffield and London are set to get speedier. Right now, it takes around two hours to get from the capital up to Sheff if you’re travelling by train. But FirstGroup is on a mission to hurry things up.
The parent company of the likes of Lumo, Avanti West Coast and Great Western Rail is planning to run daily return trips from London King’s Cross to Sheffield via Retford, Worksop and Woodhouse. The proposed new service is part of its Hull Trains business and is set to rival the East Midlands Railway (EMR).
FirstGroup claims that it will be faster than the current EMR route between London St Pancras and the northern city. It also said that right now, three quarters of the journeys made from Sheffield and London are made by car and nine percent are by coach. But it says that the new service will encourage more people to travel by rail – a more planet-friendly option.
The plan hasn’t been made official just yet. The company has submitted the first phase of an application to the Office of Rail and Road and a consultation is due to take place soon.
If it goes ahead it will run on an ‘open access’ basis, which means that it won’t receive any taxpayer-funded subsidies. It could be launched by the second half of 2025 and would be the first direct service between Sheffield and King’s Cross since 1968.
Rail updates with Time Out
Despite all its shortfalls (i.e. non-stop strikes and delays), train travel is a core part of life in the UK. So, naturally we’re always keeping an eye on all the rail related news to keep you updated on. Take a look at this train service that has returned after a 60 years hiatus, this dazzling new heritage railway or this spectacular train route that connects all eight Scottish cities.
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