A new train operating company will be running services through Carlisle as part of its route from Stirling to London.

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has approved an application by Grand Union Trains to run four daily return services between London and Stirling.

The stations served on the new route include stations served are Milton Keynes Central, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet, Greenfaulds and Larbert as well as Euston, Carlisle and Stirling.

The regulator's director of strategy, policy and reform Stephanie Tobyn said: "By providing more trains serving new destinations, open access operators offer passengers more choice in the origin and price of their journey, leading to better outcomes for rail users."

The route will run on an open access basis meaning that it will be entirely funded privately and will not be subsidised by the tax payer.

The new route will act as competition to Avanti West Coast who had their contract extended by the government last year despite criticism from local politicians.

The service will begin next year.