Published 05 Nov 2024
Morpeth is showing signs of significant growth for customer journeys on the East Coast Main Line with new data release by the popular open access operator, Lumo.
Lumo believes the surge in demand for its services is due to a combination of an increasing focus on sustainability by leisure and business customers combined with the incredibly strong tourism offer the town and wider area has to offer visitors.
Lumo has carried more than three million customers in the three years since it launched to great fanfare offering a low-cost, great value model to attract people from flying or driving the routes it serves between London, Newcastle and Edinburgh.
The North East based operator is a key partner for Destination North East England’s newly launch Regenerative tourism plan to help make destinations more accessible, inclusive and sustainable. The operator’s bright blue trains are 25 times greener than flying with around 96% CO2 saved compared to driving or flying.
Martijn Gilbert, Managing Director at Lumo, said: “Lumo’s offer of affordable, green travel connecting Morpeth with Edinburgh, Newcastle and London is proving incredibly popular. Our one hundred percent electric trains are helping make journeys even cleaner and combined with our industry-leading customer satisfaction scores, we’re proud to be seeing such incredible growth for Northumberland.”
Andrew Stokes, Director of Visit England, added: “We are very pleased to support the North East Destination Development Partnership to drive visitor economy growth in the region and with an increase in accessible rail services such as this it’s no surprise that more visitors are discovering Morpeth and beyond.
“Travelling by rail opens-up iconic locations, as well as less explored destinations in a relaxing and environmentally friendly way, broadening travel itineraries, encouraging visitors to discover more and stay longer, boosting the economy.”
Figures from Inform Direct Review of Company Formations, also show that in 2023 over 1,554 new businesses were established in Northumberland, bringing the number of registered companies in the county up to a record 12,830. Combined with more visitors exploring Northumberland’s attractions, local demand for hospitality, retail, and service-based enterprises has increased, creating opportunities for entrepreneurs to capitalise on the county’s surge in popularity.
Cllr Richard Wearmouth, a councillor in Morpeth and Deputy Leader at Northumberland County Council, said: “Lumo provide an amazing service for Morpeth and the North East. Punctual, fast, cost effective, with train crew who are engaging and always happy to help. It is no wonder their service is thriving. My only hope is that they get to run more and more trains on the East Coast Main Line in the years to come, they are such an asset for our town."
Dennis Fancett, Chair of local pro-rail campaign group SENRUG said: “We engaged with Lumo whilst the company was at its inception phase to put the case for Morpeth, highlighting the under exploited market for direct trains to both London and Edinburgh, and are pleased that their investment has paid off.
“Today’s announcement is good news for Lumo, an open-access company receiving no government subsidy, good news for people and businesses in the Morpeth area who get a wider choice of rail services both north and south, and good news for SENRUG as it confirms our campaign objectives are realistic, commercially viable, and worth pursuing.”
Customers have a choice of operators when travelling on the East Coast Main Line. This competition has contributed to growth across all operators on the East Coast route exceeding pre-Covid levels. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) data also shows Lumo is one of the best performing operators in Britain for punctuality.
The resurgence in use of rail is being reflected across Europe with data by Euromonitor showing rail is the fastest growing travel category worldwide, with a growth of over 35% during 2023-2024 and a third of eco-adventurers saying they prefer trains to air travel.
NewcastleGateshead Initiative is the lead delivery agency for Destination North East England, England's first Destination Development Partnership.
Ian Thomas, Chief Operating Officer at NewcastleGateshead Initiative, on behalf of Destination North East England, said: “It's fantastic to see so many people choosing to visit the region and explore our unrivalled countryside, coasts, towns and cities, whilst making sustainable travel choices aboard Lumo's fleet of all-electric trains. As we work towards Destination North East England's goal of doubling the value of the visitor economy over the next decade, we have to ensure we're doing so in a way that leaves a positive impact on our people, places and planet.
“Working with partners like Lumo and their sustainable service which connects Newcastle, Morpeth and the wider region with the rest of the UK is a key part of that regenerative growth ambition, offering visitors an affordable, accessible and sustainable trip to the North East.
Lumo’s lead-in fares from Morpeth to Edinburgh start from £7.80 and £30.90 for Morpeth to London King’s Cross. Customers can take advantage of fee-free booking when buying from the Lumo website with tickets now available until 31 March 2024.
Lumo believes the surge in demand for its services is due to a combination of an increasing focus on sustainability by leisure and business customers combined with the incredibly strong tourism offer the town and wider area has to offer visitors.
Lumo has carried more than three million customers in the three years since it launched to great fanfare offering a low-cost, great value model to attract people from flying or driving the routes it serves between London, Newcastle and Edinburgh.
The North East based operator is a key partner for Destination North East England’s newly launch Regenerative tourism plan to help make destinations more accessible, inclusive and sustainable. The operator’s bright blue trains are 25 times greener than flying with around 96% CO2 saved compared to driving or flying.
Martijn Gilbert, Managing Director at Lumo, said: “Lumo’s offer of affordable, green travel connecting Morpeth with Edinburgh, Newcastle and London is proving incredibly popular. Our one hundred percent electric trains are helping make journeys even cleaner and combined with our industry-leading customer satisfaction scores, we’re proud to be seeing such incredible growth for Northumberland.”
Andrew Stokes, Director of Visit England, added: “We are very pleased to support the North East Destination Development Partnership to drive visitor economy growth in the region and with an increase in accessible rail services such as this it’s no surprise that more visitors are discovering Morpeth and beyond.
“Travelling by rail opens-up iconic locations, as well as less explored destinations in a relaxing and environmentally friendly way, broadening travel itineraries, encouraging visitors to discover more and stay longer, boosting the economy.”
Figures from Inform Direct Review of Company Formations, also show that in 2023 over 1,554 new businesses were established in Northumberland, bringing the number of registered companies in the county up to a record 12,830. Combined with more visitors exploring Northumberland’s attractions, local demand for hospitality, retail, and service-based enterprises has increased, creating opportunities for entrepreneurs to capitalise on the county’s surge in popularity.
Cllr Richard Wearmouth, a councillor in Morpeth and Deputy Leader at Northumberland County Council, said: “Lumo provide an amazing service for Morpeth and the North East. Punctual, fast, cost effective, with train crew who are engaging and always happy to help. It is no wonder their service is thriving. My only hope is that they get to run more and more trains on the East Coast Main Line in the years to come, they are such an asset for our town."
Dennis Fancett, Chair of local pro-rail campaign group SENRUG said: “We engaged with Lumo whilst the company was at its inception phase to put the case for Morpeth, highlighting the under exploited market for direct trains to both London and Edinburgh, and are pleased that their investment has paid off.
“Today’s announcement is good news for Lumo, an open-access company receiving no government subsidy, good news for people and businesses in the Morpeth area who get a wider choice of rail services both north and south, and good news for SENRUG as it confirms our campaign objectives are realistic, commercially viable, and worth pursuing.”
Customers have a choice of operators when travelling on the East Coast Main Line. This competition has contributed to growth across all operators on the East Coast route exceeding pre-Covid levels. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) data also shows Lumo is one of the best performing operators in Britain for punctuality.
The resurgence in use of rail is being reflected across Europe with data by Euromonitor showing rail is the fastest growing travel category worldwide, with a growth of over 35% during 2023-2024 and a third of eco-adventurers saying they prefer trains to air travel.
NewcastleGateshead Initiative is the lead delivery agency for Destination North East England, England's first Destination Development Partnership.
Ian Thomas, Chief Operating Officer at NewcastleGateshead Initiative, on behalf of Destination North East England, said: “It's fantastic to see so many people choosing to visit the region and explore our unrivalled countryside, coasts, towns and cities, whilst making sustainable travel choices aboard Lumo's fleet of all-electric trains. As we work towards Destination North East England's goal of doubling the value of the visitor economy over the next decade, we have to ensure we're doing so in a way that leaves a positive impact on our people, places and planet.
“Working with partners like Lumo and their sustainable service which connects Newcastle, Morpeth and the wider region with the rest of the UK is a key part of that regenerative growth ambition, offering visitors an affordable, accessible and sustainable trip to the North East.
Lumo’s lead-in fares from Morpeth to Edinburgh start from £7.80 and £30.90 for Morpeth to London King’s Cross. Customers can take advantage of fee-free booking when buying from the Lumo website with tickets now available until 31 March 2024.