Open-access train operators, Lumo and Hull Trains held an event to acknowledge the role of open access on railways across the UK.

The event took place on the 20th of June in Parliament and was sponsored by Emma Hardy, Labour MP, for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle.

19 MP’s attended the event including Transport Minister – Richard Holden, Shadow Rail Minister – Tan Dhesi, Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson – Wera Hobhouse and members of the Transport Select Committee.

The work of Lumo and Hull Trains was highlighted at the event as bringing environmental, economic, employment and social benefits to the areas in which they operate.

Marking the first open access in the UK, Hull Trains has seen excellent success with a steady growth in operations, which now sees them run seven services each day between Hull and London.

The operator saw the introduction of a new fleet of bi-mode trains in 2019 and is now taking the lead in recovery and growth, seeing a massive 22% more customers than in 2019.

Lumo has also seen great success following its launch back in October 2021 which came thanks to a £100 million investment via First Group.

The operator saw more than 1 million passengers using its services through its first year when it operated 2,500 journeys between London and Edinburgh.

Lumo uses electric trains which sees a fantastic saving in CO2 when compared to flying. The operator also has 108 employees in the North East and aims to support the local economy with an estimated £750m over the next 10 years.

The open-access operators provide extra services with a focus on affordability and driving a modal shift from air travel to train for long-distance journeys across the UK.

Martijn Gilbert, Managing Director of Open Access Operations at First Rail, said:“We are pleased to have had the opportunity to meet parliamentarians and share our latest achievements. We care about the communities we serve and are excited to build on the progress we have made and keep improving our services.”

“We are incredibly grateful to the attending MPs for their valuable contributions and for taking the time to join us in this important discussion, and to Emma Hardy for hosting the event. Together, Lumo and Hull Trains are working to provide greener and affordable train travel between some of the UK’s largest cities.