Latest news with #AvantiWestCoast
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tamworth train incident as all lines blocked with emergency services at scene
An incident at Tamworth train station has prompted all lines into it to be blocked. Emergency services are at the scene at Tamworth Low Level this morning, Friday, June 20. Train services are being diverted. READ MORE: Asda thief sat on man and kissed him in car park before stealing gold chain READ MORE: Birmingham bin strike update as negotiations expected to resume next week READ MORE: Travel chiefs give passengers four recommendations during scorching heatwave The nature of the incident is unclear. BirminghamLive has asked the British Transport Police and West Midlands Ambulance Service for more information. The incident remains ongoing. Avanti West Coast posted on X: "Due to the emergency services dealing with an incident at Tamworth Low Level all lines are blocked. "Train services running through this station may be delayed by up to 60 minutes, or diverted between Stafford and Rugby. Lichfield Trent Valley Ll, Tamworth Low Level and Nuneaton will not be served." Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp, click the link to join West Coast Main Line posted: "Due to the emergency services responding to an incident at Tamworth the railway between Nuneaton & Stafford is currently closed. "Please check @nationalrailenq for the latest journey info. We're sorry for the disruption to your journey. Be safe. Be patient. Be kind." While CrossCountry Trains said: "Due to the emergency services dealing with an incident, services will not be calling at Tamworth in either direction until further notice."
Daily Mirror
12-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Impressive 425-miles UK train line with 11 stops branded 'Eurostar of Scotland'
Brits will soon be able to hop on board and travel more than 400 miles from London to the historic city of Stirling, thanks to a new railway expansion slated to launch in 2026 A huge railway expansion touted as the 'Eurostar of Scotland' is slated to launch next year - spanning a whopping 425 miles from London. Rail operator Lumo recently announced it had successfully secured five Class 222 six-car trains to link London Euston directly to Stirling - a historic city in central Scotland. The new route, which aims to be up and running as early as Spring 2026, will also stop at Milton Keynes, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet (serving Coatbridge), Greenfaulds (serving Cumbernauld) and Larbert. Lumo says the move will 'enhance travel choice and connectivity' for passengers along the central belt of Scotland, and that its new route will run five times a day each way. This particular route is already shared by Avanti West Coast, LNER and TransPennine Express - but Lumo will reportedly be the first provider not subsidised by the government. Zoe Adjey, senior lecturer at the Institute of Tourism and Hospitality at the University of East London, told the Metro that this will likely make tickets must 'cheaper'. "The service enhancement will significantly improve the passenger experience, especially compared to air travel," she added. "Air travel requires an initial transit to one of London's airports, followed by a two-hour wait for the flight, then a two-hour flight time. In contrast, rail travel involves just a quick journey to Euston station, followed by a five-hour train journey with WiFi, refreshments, and enhanced onboard services." At the time of writing, direct trains from London to Stirling cost as much as £206.80 for an 'Anytime Single' ticket. However, they can be bought for as little as £81.80 if you're flexible with dates. Purchasing a railcard can also help lower the cost of train fares. However, these tend to only offer discounts on Off-Peak times, weekends, and bank holidays - which doesn't help out commuters reliant on the network. In an online statement, Martijn Gilbert of Lumo said: "Today's announcement underscores Lumo's commitment to growing Scotland's rail network, providing passengers with more affordable, fast, and convenient travel options. Our new service between Stirling and London has the potential to unlock significant economic opportunities for communities along the route, and we're proud to deliver this direct rail connectivity to towns previously overlooked by traditional rail services." Sue Webber MSP, a Conservative Transport spokesperson, also hailed the announcement - arguing it will bring a staggering £740m in economic benefits by 2032. "Crucially, this is being delivered not by government mandate, but through private sector innovation and open access investment," she added. "That's why I believe this model is one we should be championing. Lumo is not replacing existing services – it's adding capacity, increasing choice, and growing the market for everyone." *Prices based on LNER listings for Tuesday, July 1.
Daily Mail
10-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
First Group profits bounce back after transport group returns to London following RATP takeover
First Group has returned to profit and cheered progress in its bus and rail operations. Shares in the Aberdeen-based transport operator rose 12.1 per cent as investors welcomed stronger-than-expected profits. First, which runs Avanti West Coast and Great Western Railway, recorded a profit of £169.6million for the year to March, swinging from a £24.4million loss a year earlier. The company saw a particular rise in profitability from its First Bus business, which has been boosted by a return to the London market after its £90million takeover of RATP Dev Transit London. First Bus revenues rose 6.8 per cent to £1.08billion for the year despite a £17million reduction in funding, as passenger numbers rose 7 per cent year-on-year. Meanwhile, the group's rail business said it saw passenger numbers on its open-access lines, which include Hull Trains and Lumo, grow to 2.9m for the year, from 2.7m.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
FirstGroup bounces back to profit as bus revenues grow
Transport operator FirstGroup has returned to profit for the past year as it cheered progress in its bus and rail operations. Shares in the Aberdeen-based company rose in early trading as investors welcomed stronger-than-expected profits. FirstGroup, which runs Avanti West Coast and Great Western Railway, recorded a pre-tax profit of £169.6 million for the year to March, swinging from a £24.4 million loss a year earlier. It also reported a group adjusted profit of £222.8 million for the year, up from £204.3 million a year earlier. The company said it saw a particular rise in profitability from its First Bus business, which has been boosted by its return to the London market following its £90 million takeover of RATP Dev Transit London. First Bus revenues grew 6.8% to £1.08 billion for the year despite a £17 million reduction in funding, as passenger numbers increased by 7% year-on-year. Meanwhile, the group's rail business said it saw passenger numbers on its open access lines, which include Hull Trains and Lumo, grow to 2.9 million for the year, from 2.7 million. The Government has set out plans to nationalise UK rail operations, except for open access franchises and freight. FirstGroup said it has acquired track access rights for two new open access services. Chief executive Graham Sutherland said: 'I am pleased to report another positive set of results for our 2025 financial year. 'We have further strengthened our businesses and continued to deliver against our strategy, including growing and diversifying our earnings in both First Bus and First Rail. 'This leaves us well placed to at least maintain our adjusted earnings per share in full-year 2026, from a stronger base, as we continue to successfully navigate a period of transition in bus and rail in the UK.' The company also told shareholders that it expects to secure around £15 million cost savings over the first half of the new financial year. Shares in the business were 6.6% higher in early trading.
The Independent
10-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
FirstGroup bounces back to profit as bus revenues grow
Transport operator FirstGroup has returned to profit for the past year as it cheered progress in its bus and rail operations. Shares in the Aberdeen-based company rose in early trading as investors welcomed stronger-than-expected profits. FirstGroup, which runs Avanti West Coast and Great Western Railway, recorded a pre-tax profit of £169.6 million for the year to March, swinging from a £24.4 million loss a year earlier. It also reported a group adjusted profit of £222.8 million for the year, up from £204.3 million a year earlier. The company said it saw a particular rise in profitability from its First Bus business, which has been boosted by its return to the London market following its £90 million takeover of RATP Dev Transit London. First Bus revenues grew 6.8% to £1.08 billion for the year despite a £17 million reduction in funding, as passenger numbers increased by 7% year-on-year. Meanwhile, the group's rail business said it saw passenger numbers on its open access lines, which include Hull Trains and Lumo, grow to 2.9 million for the year, from 2.7 million. The Government has set out plans to nationalise UK rail operations, except for open access franchises and freight. FirstGroup said it has acquired track access rights for two new open access services. Chief executive Graham Sutherland said: 'I am pleased to report another positive set of results for our 2025 financial year. 'We have further strengthened our businesses and continued to deliver against our strategy, including growing and diversifying our earnings in both First Bus and First Rail. 'This leaves us well placed to at least maintain our adjusted earnings per share in full-year 2026, from a stronger base, as we continue to successfully navigate a period of transition in bus and rail in the UK.' The company also told shareholders that it expects to secure around £15 million cost savings over the first half of the new financial year.
