Scarborough and Whitby’s MP has urged the Government to consider the role of open access rail operators amid suggestions for new routes from the coast to the capital.

Alison Hume, the Member of Parliament for Scarborough and Whitby has said there is “massive potential to open up new routes” including a potential Scarborough to London service with open access train operators playing a bigger role.

Currently, there are five open access operators in Great Britain – including Lumo, Grand Central and Hull Trains – but they account for 0.6 per cent of total passenger journeys.

Open access train services are operated on a commercial basis by private companies and often compete with train operators which hold government contracts.

placeholder image — Scarborough Railway Station.

Speaking in a Westminster Hall debate, Ms Hume said: “Unless we look at how we serve coastal communities such as mine, given the poor connections, we will not move forward.”

The Labour MP added: “I urge the Government to look at open access operators, because […] they have massive potential to open up new routes, such as the Scarborough to London via York route.

“Look at the success of Hull Trains: in 1999 there was only one train a day between Hull and London, and now there are seven each weekday and six at weekends.

“If any operators are listening, I would love to see a direct service between Scarborough and London.”

Hull Trains indicated to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that it does not currently have plans for a route from Scarborough to King’s Cross.

Coun Keane Duncan, executive member for highways and transport on the Conservative-led North Yorkshire Council, said: “Labour promises of a rail revolution feel very empty for passengers here in North Yorkshire.

“Northallerton Station has been stripped of key services, while the Mayor’s ‘plans’ to introduce half-hourly services to Scarborough are in tatters.

“On the wish list now is a direct service to Kings Cross. This would be excellent, but it feels like yet more pie-in-the-sky nonsense.

“Passengers deserve honesty. Just what improvements should they expect, and when?”

Earlier this week, the Government announced plans for a “landmark bill to rewire Britain’s railways” which will establish Great British Railways (GBR) “bringing track and train together”.

However, the Department for Transport said that open access services would continue to have a place on the network “where they encourage growth, improve connectivity and provide more choice for passengers, as long as these benefits are not outweighed by costs to the taxpayer and impact performance”.