13.08.18
Grayling gives green light to Network Rail ECML improvements
Plans to improve the East Coast Main Line (ECML) have been given the go-ahead by the transport secretary as part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan.
The improvements include a new rail line running underneath the ECML— linking the Stamford lines and the Great Northern Great Eastern lines at Werrington Junction near Peterborough.
The new line approved by Grayling will remove the need for freight trains to cross over the ECML: currently, freight units need to cross over three lines of the ECML, forcing high-speed passenger trains to slow down on the approach to Werrington Junction.
Work on the project will begin later this summer and the plans are expected to be completed by early 2021.
Network Rail submitted a Transport and Works Act Order in 2016 to kick off the project. The decision to put the line under the ECML was selected as a preferred option for the scheme based on feedback from the public and key stakeholders in the area.
Rob McIntosh, route managing director at Network Rail, said: “This is a significant investment into the railway in this area which, when coupled with other upgrades on this route, will have widespread benefits for those travelling between London and the north through an increased capacity of 33%.
“This vital upgrade will ensure we can provide an improved service for passengers and will create a more modern, reliable and resilient railway suitable to meet the needs of the communities and economies our railway serves.”
The investment is hoped to create space for additional train services between London and the north, helping to ease congestion and reduce journey times.
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Image credit: Network Rail