Arriva Group has submitted an open access application to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to introduce direct rail services between Cleethorpes, Grimsby, and London. The plan would extend Grand Central’s open access route to Doncaster, addressing a 30-year gap in direct rail links from Cleethorpes to the capital.
The service will add four daily return journeys if approved, providing 775,000 additional seats annually. A Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership study estimates the Cleethorpes-London connection could generate up to £30.1 million per year for the regional economy.
Arriva’s open access model aims to improve connectivity without government funding by using underutilised network capacity. The company has also applied for additional Bradford-London and York-London services and is seeking to extend its track access rights until 2038. Arriva is the only UK rail operator managing national rail contracts, concessionary services, and open access routes.
