Virgin Trains is making a bid to return to the West Coast Main Line route between London and Glasgow five years after losing the franchise.

The company operated the service for 22 years before losing the contract to Avanti West Coast in 2019.

Virgin Group has applied for an Open Access licence from the Office of Rail and Road, which would allow it to operate without state subsidies.

This move could reintroduce competition with Avanti, whose contract was renewed by the Department for Transport for up to nine years despite criticism for delays and cancellations.

Virgin's previous partnership with Stagecoach was disqualified from bidding due to issues with pension rule compliance.

If approved, Virgin plans to run services to multiple destinations, including Preston, Rochdale, Birmingham, Liverpool, and Glasgow.

Sir Richard Branson has expressed interest in re-entering the rail sector, hinting last year at a potential comeback for Virgin Trains.