Rail services between the Midlands and London will be up to 25
minutes faster after the completion of the £1.5 billion Midland Main Line
upgrade by Network Rail.
East Midlands Railway will launch a new timetable on 16 May which
will see the journey time for the first early morning service from Leicester to
London cut from one hour 32 minutes to one hour seven minutes. The service will
mean that travellers can arrive in London 15 minutes earlier than currently.
The company said the changes will provide more seats, quicker
journeys, and a simpler and more resilient timetable for communities across its
network, with earlier and later services. The upgrade will see the route electrified and longer trains and platforms introduced.
Will Rogers, managing director of East Midlands Railway, said:
“This new timetable represents an exciting new chapter for train services in
the region and will bring significant benefits to the communities we serve,
including Leicester.
“The
£1.5 billion Midland Main Line upgrade has allowed us to provide more seats,
quicker journeys and a simpler, more resilient timetable.
“It
will enable better regional and intercity connectivity, helping people get to
work and enjoy their leisure time, and provides a timely and welcome boost to
our local economies and passengers.”