The little UK seaside town desperate for direct London train to get tourists flooding in

Councillors in North East Lincolnshire are renewing calls for a long-promised direct train between Cleethorpes and London, a link they believe could transform tourism for the seaside town.

Cleethorpes is home to sandy beaches, a historic pier, and family-friendly attractions like the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway and boating lake. Fitties Beach is a highlight of Cleethorpes, featuring around 300 chalets, huts, and cabins on a former salt marsh that was designated a conservation area in 1996. Cleethorpes also has a 160-acre nature reserve spanning 62 hectares between the town and Humberston, featuring a one-mile lakeside path, a dog swimming area, and abundant wild birds. It's perfect for walking, picnicking, wildlife spotting, or joining the weekly 5k Parkrun.

During a recent meeting of the council's Economy, Culture and Tourism Scrutiny Panel, members discussed new visitor data showing that only a tiny fraction of tourists currently reach Cleethorpes by train.

Labour councillor Tim Mickleburgh said the figures underline how much potential the resort is missing out on without a direct rail service to the capital. Earlier this month, the Department for Transport confirmed there are no immediate plans to reintroduce a direct Cleethorpes-London service.

The Department for Transport said that from December 2025, East Midlands Railway will improve connections via Lincoln to strengthen links with London.

Figures presented to councillors revealed that both Cleethorpes and Grimsby Town railway stations saw a noticeable recovery in passenger numbers over the last year.

In 2023/24, more than 252,000 passengers used Cleethorpes Station, an increase of nearly 60,000 on the previous year, or around 30%, GrimsbyLive reported. Grimsby Town recorded 385,000 entries and exits, up 22 per cent year-on-year.

However, both stations remain below pre-pandemic levels, when more than 430,000 people passed through Grimsby and 274,000 through Cleethorpes.

Cllr Mickleburgh said: "Although it's been promised for ages and ages, is there's still no sign of a direct train between Grimsby and Cleethorpes and London.

Cllr Mickleburgh proposed that the panel formally ask the council's cabinet to "use its endeavours" to press for the reinstatement of a direct rail link to London, arguing that the improvement could significantly boost visitor numbers. The panel unanimously backed his recommendation.

Panel chair Cllr Steve Holland (Independents for North East Lincolnshire Group) agreed that better rail links were vital for increasing the number of visitors arriving by rail: "A direct train route should be able to increase that."

Labour councillor Edward Kaczmarek also pointed out that Cleethorpes and Grimsby's lack of electrified lines limits which trains can serve the area. He said: "It means that a lot of trains are prevented from running on our network, compared to the rest of the system."