Intercity rail

Wednesday, 2 March 2011 00:00

New high-tech trains will be introduced to update existing rail networks, the government has announced.

The £4.5 billion Intercity Express Programme (IEP) was given the go-ahead by transport secretary Philip Hammond and will see the procurement of 500 new carriages.

The update will lead to 11,000 new peak-time seats for commuters on packed trains

The government also plans to electrify sections of the Great Western Main Line between Cardiff, Bristol and Didcot - this will cost £704 million.

Japanese company Hitachi will build the trains at Newton Aycliffe in the north-east, creating 500 new jobs in 2013.

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