Rail passengers in York will have faster and easier journeys after a new track layout is installed at the south end of the station, meaning they will not have to wait on trains to get into a platform.
Work on site at Holgate, south of York, begins this month to provide an additional line and new junction. It is part of a multi-million programme of improvements which will allow faster services and more trains to run on the east coast main line (ECML).
Where once this would have resulted in lengthy delays and cancellations to rail services; close working with train operators has allowed Network Rail to develop a plan which sees few changes to the timetable.
Richard Lungmuss, route director for Network Rail, said: “This is the most significant single investment in the railway in this area since electrification. At the moment trains heading from Leeds to the north east and Scotland conflict with other passenger services, often resulting in trains being forced to stand before they can access a platform. This has been a frustrating bottleneck for many years and this scheme will bring direct benefits to many thousands of passengers as well as being a key part of wider investment to improve the ECML.
”The vast majority of rail services will be unchanged during the works, minimising disruption to passengers while we deliver this value-for-money scheme which will bring real benefits rail users around York.”
Engineers from Network Rail have completed ground investigations and compounds will be set up from the start of April 2011. Construction work will begin in April but the first significant site works will be in early May. The work will complete in October 2011.
There will be some small changes to rail services from 30 July for 12 weeks. Changes to services will be brought in for the December 2011 timetable.
On August bank holiday weekend there be significant changes to services while new track layout is installed and some electrification work is carried out. These changes will be publicised in advance.
