The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has approved Grand Union Trains’ application to operate four daily return services between London Euston and Stirling from June 2025.

The ORR said it found that the plan submitted by Grand Union Trains would increase choice for passengers and significantly increase direct journey options between London and both central and southern Scotland, while making use of existing capacity on the network.

Alasdair McConnell, commercial surveyor in Shepherd’s Stirling office, said: “We welcome this decision which means that Stirling joins other major Scottish cities in having a direct link to London which will further enhance the city’s ability to connect with key markets across the UK and encourage further investment in both the commercial and residential sectors.”

Kieran Bonner, residential surveyor in Stirling, added: “There’s no doubt that a direct rail link between Stirling and London will enhance and broaden its appeal as a place to live and work by boosting the connectivity to an already well-connected and centrally-located city at the heart of Scotland.”

The trains will call at Milton Keynes Central, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet, Greenfaulds and Larbert.

Grand Union Trains will run on an open access basis, meaning it will receive no taxpayer-funded subsidies and take on all revenue risk. It will be the first open access operator on the West Coast Main Line.