Inter City Railways Scoops East Coast Franchise

The Government has awarded its East Coast franchise to Inter City Railways, a consortium of Stagecoach and Virgin.

Rail journeys between London and Edinburgh will be transformed by more seats, more services and new trains.

The new deal will include a host of extra benefits for passengers:

• 23 new services from London to key destinations, with 75 more station calls a day

• Plans for new direct links to Huddersfield, Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Dewsbury and Thornaby

• Proposals for more trains to London from Bradford, Edinburgh, Harrogate, Leeds, Lincoln, Newcastle, Shipley, Stirling, and York

• 3,100 extra seats for the morning peak time by 2020

• Across the entire train fleet there will be 12,200 additional seats – a 50% increase

• 65 Intercity Express trains brought into passenger service from 2018, totalling 500 new carriages

• Journey times from London to Leeds reduced by 14 minutes, and from London to Edinburgh by 13 minutes

• A £140 million investment package to improve trains and stations.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: "This is a fantastic deal for passengers and for staff on this vital route. It gives passengers more seats, more services and new trains.

"We are putting passengers at the heart of the service. I believe Stagecoach and Virgin will not only deliver for customers but also for the British taxpayer.

"This government knows the importance of our railways. That is why they are a vital part of our long term economic plan, with over £38 billion being spent on the network over the next five years."

(CD/JP)