The Government has confirmed that a major upgrade to the East Coast Main Line through York will go ahead, part of a £750m upgrade that will see a major investment in new platforms, tracks, signals and junctions, to be completed in the early 2020s.
Cllr Ian Gillies, Chair of the Consortium of East Coast Main Line Authorities and Leader of City of York Council, said:
“We welcome the renewed commitment to invest in this vital artery for business and leisure travel connecting communities from the Highlands to Hertfordshire, enabling the more frequent services and faster journey times already promised, and look forward to seeing detailed plans and timetable for their delivery.”
Cllr. Peter Dew, York’s Executive Leader for Transport and Planning said:
“This is good news. It’s important that upgrades to the line are accompanied by a comprehensive plan to maintain and renew the existing ageing infrastructure to improve the reliability of services and we look forward to the necessary commitments from Network Rail and the Regulator to the investment necessary to improve reliability on the route over the next five years.
“With the arrival of the new Azuma trains scheduled for next year, it’s more important than ever to invest in the infrastructure of the East Coast Main Line to maximise the benefits for all passengers passing through York.”