FirstGroup has published a vigorous response to a warning over open access from the transport secretary, who has expressed doubts about the financial and operational case for more open access passenger services.

In a document to be published formally at an event in London this evening, First argues the case for more open access services.

The report was being prepared before transport secretary Heidi Alexander warned the Office of Rail and Road earlier this month that she was ‘aware of the additional pressures new services can create on already constrained network capacity and their impact on the value secured from public investment in infrastructure. While Open Access operators pay variable access charges to Network Rail to cover the direct costs incurred running their trains on the network, unlike government contracted operators they do not fully cover the costs…’

In the face of this ministerial doubt, First has made the case for adding routes, saying that competition can reduce fares and also provide under-served towns and cities with new links. It points to places like Hull, which began to be served by open access Hull Trains 25 years ago and now has up to eight trains to London each day, compared with just one in the 1990s.

The report highlights First’s plans to run new services between London and Stirling and London and Carmarthen, which have already gained ORR approval, and further applications for new routes between London and Rochdale, London and Torbay and London and Sheffield.

The group has unveiled plans to acquire new rolling stock from Hitachi, which would be mainly manufactured at Newton Aycliffe in County Durham.

First Rail managing director Steve Montgomery said: ‘Open access has a strong and successful history over the past 25 years, delivering millions of reliable and affordable passenger journeys, offering choice and competition, investing in new rolling stock and supporting the running costs of the rail network.

‘Data demonstrates open access grows the railway overall. By offering competitive fares at alternative times and stopping at under-served destinations, open access inspires more people to use trains rather than cars and planes.

‘Since Lumo launched in 2021, an increase of more than six million more passenger journeys has taken place on the East Coast Main Line than when it was operated by LNER alone.

‘As the Government delivers its rail policy over the coming years, I am proud First Rail is making the case for open access, investment and innovation on the British rail network.’