Plans to upgrade significant sections of the railway network at a cost of £38.5bn have been shelved by the Government.
Upgrades to the Leeds-Manchester line, and the Midland main line from London to Sheffield via Nottingham and Derby, have been cancelled. Upgrades to the Great Western Main Line will continue, but are expected to cost more.
The Government claims the plans, which formed a key part of its pre-election pledges, will still go ahead. It also claims that the £38.5bn will still be spent on upgrades – insisting that the plans have been cancelled not to save money, but because the overall cost has been underestimated.
So, not great news for passengers, especially those in the north of the country.
What do you think of the plans? Are you annoyed at the cancelled rail upgrade, or are you glad the inevitable disruption that the upgrades would bring has been delayed indefinitely? Tweet us on @nationalrailcom and head to our home page to buy your tickets.
