Councils back London rail links

Trains will use the East Coast Main Line

Plans for extra rail services linking parts of the north-east of England with London have been welcomed.

Grand Central Railways wants to run four trains a day from Sunderland, taking in Teesside, parts of County Durham and Yorkshire.

Now the company's franchise bid has been backed by 25 local authorities.

The planned service would complement existing main line trains run by GNER. Grand Central wants to link in the East Coast Main Line route to King's Cross.

'Financial benefits'

Melanie Laws, director of the Association of North East Councils, said her members had written to the Office of Rail Regulation expressing support for the new services.

She said: "The Association, as the voice of local government in the North East, is united behind the case for Sunderland having its own direct rail service to London.

"The financial and social benefits of this service cannot be overstated for Sunderland and the other communities that this proposal would serve."

Grand Central hopes to operate services from December this year, with the most expensive ticket from Hartlepool to London being £34 single and just over £50 return.