Coronavirus: Grand Central trains announces 'measured' return

A train firm has announced a "measured" return to service after the coronavirus pandemic forced it to suspend operations in April.

Grand Central will restart journeys on its West Yorkshire and North East routes from 26 July.

The business will resume with daily return services between Bradford and Sunderland and London King's Cross.

Because the Yorkshire-based company is an open access operator, it does not benefit from government support.

The Department for Transport launched a package of support for franchised operators to keep their services running, after lockdown began.

Managing director Richard McClean said the firm was unable to run "a viable rail service under the Government's lockdown rules".

"Social distancing and a ban on non-essential travel meant we had no option but to put our trains to bed and place the majority of our staff on furlough," he said.

"Since that decision we have worked hard to plan every aspect of a safe, sustainable return and we can now see that the lockdown has eased to such a degree for us to begin a measured return to service from late July."

The restart will see two daily return services between Bradford Interchange and King's Cross and a further three daily return services between Sunderland and King's Cross.

Drivers and operational staff will begin their return to work soon, the firm confirmed.