Faster trains planned for East Anglia
QUICKER journey times on the Norwich to London route will be demanded by the Government when it gives the go-ahead to a new franchise on East Anglia routes.
QUICKER journey times on the Norwich to London route will be demanded by the Government when it gives the go-ahead to a new franchise on East Anglia routes.
National Express East Anglia has been sacked from operating the route and the franchise - to be renamed Greater Anglia - is currently out to tender.
The Greater Anglia franchise will start on April 1, 2011. The new operator will have to consider quicker journey times between London and Norwich and improved catering.
The Essex Thameside franchise is set to begin on May 29 next year and covers routes from London's Fenchurch Street to Tilbury, Southend and Shoeburyness in Essex. The requirements for this new franchise include longer trains, improved station facilities and better security.
The measures were announced today by Transport Secretary Lord Adonis, who also laid down improvements to services from London King's Cross to Leeds, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow franchise which was taken into public ownership when National Express defaulted
“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 four hours and 20 minutes, from Newcastle to London to two hours and 50 minutes and from Leeds to London to two hours and 10 minutes.
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“I want to improve further on this by reintroducing the Flying Scotsman, with a journey time of less than four 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.”
