Hull Trains have told RailAdvent that it is suspending all train services from Saturday 9th January 2021 as England's third national lockdown is imposed.
This is the third time the operator has cancelled trains after restrictions told people to stay at home.
Louise Cheeseman, managing director of Hull Trains said: “We are again in a position where it is the right decision for the business to temporarily suspend all our direct rail services to London.
“The travel restrictions impact our income from ticket sales significantly, so hibernating allows us to protect the business for longer so we can return as a sustainable rail operator once restrictions ease.”
As Hull Trains is an open access operator, it means that it is not entitled to any financial support from the Government like other operators, such as Great Western Railway, ScotRail and TransPennine Express are.
Louise added: “It's another challenge we all face, but I am confident that the decision to temporarily suspend services is the right one to help safeguard the future of the business. The majority of our staff will be furloughed until we are back up and running. At this time, we don't have a planned return date, but we will be reviewing the situation as it evolves.
“Our direct rail route to London plays a vital role in supporting the local economy in Hull and East Riding and we shall continue to play a key part in the region's growth in the future. I look forward to returning when restrictions are relaxed and more people start to travel again.
“All the information about this temporary measure and what this means for customers and refunds is available on our website.”
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I think that open access train operators including Hull Trains and Grand Central are still having to struggle because of the ongoing Coronavirus situation and yes because of the 3rd lockdown that is coming back for another 6 weeks. In which have caused such misery on the already struggling train operators who have struggled since the first lockdown came into force back in March last year.