FirstGroup Plc - Award of open access rail extensions

FIRSTGROUP PLC

Award of Open access rail extensions

FirstGroup plc (the `Group') is pleased to announce that it has been awarded extensions to its Hull Trains and Lumo open access rail services by the Office of Rail and Road (`ORR'). These include:

-          an extension of Lumo's service to and from Glasgow Queen Street, calling at Falkirk High and Edinburgh Haymarket from December 2025 - this includes one southbound service between Edinburgh and Glasgow on weekdays and one extension in each direction on Sundays

-          an additional daily return service on Lumo between Newcastle and London from December 2025

-          One additional Hull Trains service between London and Hull on weekdays and Saturdays from December 2025

The additional services will add another c.118m seat miles to the Group's existing open access capacity of 967m - c.19m from the Glasgow service, c.76m from the additional Lumo service and c.23m from the additional Hull Trains service. Combined with the Group's new Stirling and Carmarthen services expected to launch in mid CY 2026 and December 2027 respectively, the Group will more than double its existing open access capacity.

The Group is disappointed that the ORR has not approved its application for a new Hull Trains service between London and Sheffield and will continue to explore further potential opportunities for the route. The proposed route would have provided Sheffield the first regular service from London King's Cross since 1968 and an estimated 350,000 people in the Worksop and Woodhouse catchment areas would have had direct rail access to London, with all of the economic benefit this would have brought.

Commenting, Chief Executive Officer Graham Sutherland said:

"Open access rail operators bring significant private investment to both the rail sector and UK manufacturing,  connect under-served communities and deliver substantial economic and environmental benefits. 

We are pleased to have been awarded the extensions to our successful open access rail operations. This is an important step in our efforts to materially grow our open access business and will allow us to build on the substantial benefits we are making to the communities we serve, and to attract even more passengers to rail."

Forward-looking statements

Certain statements included or incorporated by reference within this document may constitute `forward-looking statements' with respect to the business, strategy and plans of the Group and our current goals, assumptions and expectations relating to our future financial condition, performance and results. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, assumptions, uncertainties and other factors that cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Group to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. No statement in this document should be construed as a profit forecast for any period. Shareholders are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Except as required by the UK Listing Rules and applicable law, the Group does not undertake any obligation to update or change any forward-looking statements to reflect events occurring after the date of this document.

Notes

Legal Entity Identifier (LEI): 549300DEJZCPWA4HKM93. Classification as per DTR 6 Annex 1R: 3.1.

About FirstGroup

FirstGroup plc (LSE: FGP.L) is a leading private sector provider of public transport services. With £5.1 billion in revenue and around 30,000 employees, we transported almost 2m passengers a day in FY 2025. We create solutions that reduce complexity, making travel smoother and life easier. Our businesses are at the heart of our communities and the essential services we provide are critical to delivering wider economic, social and environmental goals. Each of our divisions is a leader in its field: First Bus is one of the largest bus operators in the UK, serving more than 25% of the population in the UK with a fleet of c.5,800 buses, and carrying more than a million passengers a day. First Rail is one of the UK's most experienced rail operators, with many years of experience running long-distance, commuter, regional and sleeper rail services. We operate a fleet of c.3,800 locomotives and rail carriages through two DfT contracted train operating companies: WCP (incorporating Avanti West Coast and West Coast Partnership Development) and GWR, and two open access routes (Hull Trains and Lumo). We are formally committed to operating a zero emission First Bus commercial fleet by 2035, and First Rail will help support the UK Government's goal to remove all diesel-only trains from service by 2040. During FY 2025 FirstGroup received MSCI's highest possible ESG rating of AAA, was named one of the world's cleanest 200 public companies for the sixth consecutive year and holds an Industry Top-Rated status with Sustainalytics and Sustainability Yearbook membership with S&P Global. We provide easy and convenient mobility, improving quality of life by connecting people and communities. Visit our website at www.firstgroupplc.com and follow us @firstgroupplc on X.