Posted on 27-01-2010 at 10:00
The proposed new timetable, to be introduced by the nationalised East Coast company in May 2011, will deliver over 10% more trains into London King’s Cross in the morning peak and will give the line – which runs between London King’s Cross and Scotland, serving destinations including Peterborough, Doncaster, Leeds, York and Newcastle in between – its first ever standard interval ‘clockface’ service pattern. Most services will be faster than now and Andrew Adonis has also asked Network Rail and the train operator to introduce a new extra-fast service from Edinburgh to London and back in less than 4 hours, within 2 years.
Bidders looking to run the line have been told that they will need to set out how they will manage on-train catering – which must include a full meals service – and improve cycle and car parking provision and station facilities such as waiting rooms, shelters, toilets, ticket machines and booking offices. Potential operators will also be expected to demonstrate how they will deliver greater consistency and simplicity of ticket pricing.
Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis said:
“The East Coast Main Line is one of Britain’s most important rail routes. It is vital to connecting cities in Scotland and the North of England to London and deserves the best possible service. This new timetable is a big improvement for passengers. Journey times will come down and there will be more frequent services. It will also introduce a new standard interval timetable and there will be more trains on all these routes.
“I am also setting out today improvements which operators interested in running the East Coast Main Line will need to consider when drawing up their bids to replace the nationalised East Coast company in 2011. As well as quicker and more frequent trains, I want to see better stations, improved catering and simpler ticketing.
“I am particularly keen to cut journey times between major Scottish and northern cities and London. The standard journey time from Edinburgh to London will come down to 4 hours and 20 minutes, from Newcastle to London to 2 hours and 50 minutes and from Leeds to London to 2 hours and 10 minutes.
“I want to improve further on this by reintroducing the ‘Flying Scotsman’, with a journey time of less than 4 hours for the key business services between Edinburgh and London and back. I want to see the ‘Flying Scotsman’ introduced within two years, and Network Rail have undertaken to facilitate this.
“Under the proposals, Glasgow will also benefit from new direct services to Leeds and Sheffield – major destinations to which there are currently very few through trains at present. Most existing Glasgow services to London King’s Cross will instead run to Leeds and Sheffield – giving new regular connections between Glasgow and these important cities without any loss of service between Glasgow and Newcastle and other cities in the North East of England.
“Passengers from Glasgow to London already overwhelmingly use the recently upgraded West Coast Main Line, with its regular fast service to London Euston, which is more than an hour faster than the King’s Cross service and I have agreed additional stops at Motherwell for some Euston services to maintain the town’s London connections. Motherwell will also gain from the new Glasgow to Leeds and Sheffield services and there will be no reduction in Motherwell to Edinburgh services.
“I consulted the Scottish Government on this package of improvements and I am grateful for the constructive support of Scottish Ministers. I will continue to work with them in the design of the new East Coast franchise to maximise benefits for Scottish travellers.”
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