UK rail operator FirstGroup has decided to bid for a new service between London, North East England and Edinburgh, proposing low operation fares to capture market share from air travel.

The operator has already submitted a formal track access rights application to the Office of Rail Regulation seeking approval to run services on the East Coast main line from 2018.

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If the proposal is approved, FirstGroup’s new open access operator will run several trains a day from London King’s Cross to Edinburgh through intermediate stations at Stevenage, Newcastle and Morpeth.

"We hope to entice passengers away from budget airlines through our low fares and high-quality trains."

FirstGroup chief executive Tim O’Toole said: "These innovative plans will give customers travelling between London, North East England and Edinburgh an attractive alternative to flying.

"We hope to entice passengers away from budget airlines through our low fares and high-quality trains."

The new service will offer low fares, free Wi-Fi and onboard catering, in addition to the better travel experience on brand new trains.

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According to FirstGroup, the new service is developed to encourage travellers to switch from air to rail transport.

FirstGroup currently operates another similar open-access service on the route, Hull Trains. The service scored 96% in the spring 2014 National Passenger Survey.

Recently, Inter City Railways, a joint venture between Stagecoach Transport and Virgin, launched East Coast rail franchise. The operator started offering services under the name Virgin Trains East Coast.