Plan for better regional rail links to London

The proposals, which have been developed by Arriva’s subsidiary, Alliance Rail Holdings, include a two-hourly service to Leeds calling at a new station, East Leeds Parkway, and a total investment of at least £130m.

The plans for services to London include a commitment to run six trains a day that continue to Bradford, and one which goes on to Ilkley.

Both services will call at a new station at Kirkstall Forge near Leeds.

The company also plans to 
obtain a fleet of new 125mph trains.

A report to support the proposals says: “As well as passengers’ own support, there is very strong evidence that competition is very good for passengers, not least because it has restrained recent levels of fare rises.

This provides passengers 
with more disposable income 
to spend elsewhere in the economy, including on other rail journeys, leading to economic growth.”

An executive summary has been published by Alliance Rail, through its subsidiary Great North Eastern Railway (GNER), before it makes a formal application to the Office of Rail Regulation in a bid to secure capacity to operate train services to and from Kings Cross.

The company aims to secure the capacity to operate trains on the East Coast Main Line for 10 years from late 2017.

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