The UK Government is set to invest up to £780m into overhaul works on the East Coast Main Line from next year.
Scheduled to be completed in the early 2020s, the upgrade will involve major improvements to the platforms, tracks, signals and junctions across the line.
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The upgrade, coupled with the introduction of new Intercity Express Trains on the East Coast Main Line, is expected to benefit passengers travelling on long-distance journeys across northern England.
It is also forecast to offer additional seats, as well as faster, more frequent journeys between Doncaster, Leeds and Newcastle.
UK Prime Minister Theresa May said: “Making Britain a country that works for everyone, in urban and rural regions, is a priority for my government – and a thriving economy across the Northern Powerhouse is central to that.
“We have set out major policies and investments as part of our Modern Industrial Strategy to unlock the potential in the North – and more than any government in history, we are making sure that we are delivering the outcomes that really matter to people who live and work here.”
The East Coast Main Line is a 632km major railway link connecting London with Edinburgh and is owned by Network Rail. It enables more than 80 million passenger journeys every year, covering some 8.3 billion passenger kilometres.
