RIP Laura Buckley Noonan
Search
07 Sept 2025
Search
07 Sept 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Rail passengers travelling between London and south-west Wales are set to have a choice of train operator.
Regulator the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said its decision to give permission to new company Grand Union Trains (GUT) to start operating from the end of 2024 could lead to “lower fares, improved service quality and innovation”.
GUT is planning to run five daily return services between Carmarthen in south-west Wales and London Paddington.
Trains will also call at Bristol Parkway, Severn Tunnel Junction, Newport, Cardiff, Gowerton and Llanelli stations.
GUT will be in competition with existing operator Great Western Railway.
We’ve approved the introduction of new #train services between London, Cardiff and South West Wales from the end of 2024.
Operated by Grand Union Trains, passengers will benefit from 5 extra daily return services and greater choice of operator.
More ➡️ https://t.co/4LLjIJGxVQ pic.twitter.com/0huEy1fl3Q
— ORR (@railandroad) December 1, 2022
ORR director of strategy, policy and reform Stephanie Tobyn said: “This decision supports more choice for passengers, new direct journey opportunities, more price competition and new comfortable trains.
“The added competition should also make a significant contribution to innovation in terms of the routes served, ticketing practices and service quality improvements, by both Grand Union and through the response of existing operators.”
GUT’s application was disputed by infrastructure company Network Rail due to concerns about capacity on the network.
But the regulator said that, after “careful consideration and analysis”, it has directed Network Rail to enter into a contract with the operator.
A fleet of new bi-mode trains, which can be powered by electricity or diesel, will be used.
Passengers will benefit from “best experience in the market” with bigger seats, more legroom, increased luggage space and a buffet car on every service, according to GUT.
The project is being developed in partnership with European investment company Serena Industrial Partners and Spanish train operator Renfe.
GUT will be an open access operator, meaning it will not receive subsidies from public funds.
The Government issues contracts for most train services on Britain’s railways.
The four existing open access operators are Grand Central, Heathrow Express, Hull Trains and Lumo.
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
