Rail barrier proposals scrapped

The government says passengers will be unaffected by the handover

Plans for ticket barriers at York Railway Station have been scrapped as part of the nationalisation of one of Britain's key rail routes.

National Express East Coast (NXEC) had wanted barriers to cut fare-dodging but objectors said they would be unsightly.

A government-controlled company will now take over the East Coast Mainline, which runs services between London and Edinburgh, including York.

The new operator, East Coast, said it had dropped plans for ticket barriers.

NXEC took over the rail route nearly two years ago but found it too expensive to run.

Great news

In July, councillors rejected plans by NXEC to install 17 automatic ticket gates and barriers within the Grade II listed station.

NXEC then said it would appeal against the City of York Council decision, which was expected to be heard in the new year.

The station barriers were rejected by the council

The Department for Transport announced that East Coast would make a number of improvements to the service over the next two years while it remains in public hands.

These include "the withdrawal of the planned gating at York station in order to maintain the existing through access for non-passengers".

Councillors in York have welcomed the decision.

Micklegate councillor Sandy Fraser said: "The decision to withdraw the planned gating of York station is great news for commuters and visitors to the station alike.

"The station is somewhere people want to visit to see trains, appreciate the building, as well as to board trains."

National Express will hand back East Coast Mainline services between London and Edinburgh and the rest of the East Coast franchise just before midnight.

Ministers had refused National Express's requests to renegotiate the franchise, which it has run since 2007. It will instead be offered again at auction, probably in 2011.

Ministers said staff and services would be unaffected.