Grand Central is to add more passenger services on its routes as the train company prepares to relaunch on Sunday.

The Yorkshire-based train operator will run services again after almost four months of self-imposed closure because of the lockdown restrictions.

Grand Central announced it had opened bookings on an extra return service each day on its North East route from August 23, and a further daily return service on its West Riding route from September 13.

Before lockdown the company was operating 18 daily services between the north and London, used by nearly 30,000 passengers a week.

Managing director Richard McClean said: “We always planned this to be a measured and sensible return to service.

“We know rail travel has changed a lot since we last welcomed passengers on board in April, but the demand is slowly returning.

“Adding these extra services also means we’re bringing much-needed extra capacity to the rail network, which helps maintain social distancing on board.”

Grand Central has carried out extensive trial runs and put additional cleaning in place for trains on its two routes between Bradford and King’s Cross, and Sunderland and King’s Cross, ahead of Sunday’s re-launch.