Eurostar link to Yorkshire

Sixty new jobs are being created by the move

Passengers on the inter-city route between Leeds and London are being promised quicker journeys with the addition of three Channel Tunnel Eurostar trains on the route.

Train operators Great North Eastern Railways (GNER) say the move means there will be thousands more seats on the service, which is part of the main London-Scotland East Coast line.

From 2 June, there will be six trains every weekday from Leeds to London and five extra from London to Leeds.

But it will be some time before the extra service is extended northwards to Edinburgh, as the stretch of track to Scotland has still to be tested for Eurostar use.

It will give a boost to our hard-pressed tourism industry just when it needs it

CBI regional director Penny Hemming

The number of services between Leeds and London will rise to 53 a day, following the completion of Railtrack's multi-million pound project to rebuild Leeds station.

The fastest Leeds-London journey time will now come down to one hour 59 minutes for the 186-mile journey.

GNER chief executive Christopher Garnett said: "With companies relocating to the north, the rise of Leeds as a major commercial centre and strong business confidence in the region, the rail market between West Yorkshire and London continues to grow."

New colours

Graham Hall, Yorkshire Forward regional agency said: "We very much welcome these improvements by GNER to this vital service linking the Yorkshire and Humber region with our capital city.

"These routes are critical in our drive to improve the economic performance of our region by both indigenous and overseas investors."

CBI regional director Penny Hemming said: "It will give a boost to our hard-pressed tourism industry just when it needs it."

Christopher Garnett: "Passenger growth"

Each of the three 14-coach class 373/2 White Rose trains , can carry 558 passengers. They have been re-liveried in GNER's colours.

Each of the trains leased from Eurostar (UK) Ltd has two power cars, four first class carriages, two café-bar coaches, and eight coaches for standard accommodation, including a mobile-phone-free and family coach.

More than 60 extra staff have been recruited to provide customer and food service on board and 14 drivers have been trained in co-operation with Eurostar (UK) Ltd to drive the new trains.

Before the Eurostar trains can be used north of Leeds, tests will have to be carried out on carriage clearance, power supplies, and signalling, to ensure they are compatible.