RAILWAY campaigners have enthusiastically welcomed new timetables that bring 22 more trains to the North East each week.
Both East Coast and Cross Country trains are reorganising what they offer to increase capacity, while TransPennine Express are changing departure times to cut journeys and help link up with London-bound services.
Among the most anticipated alterations, which come into force tomorrow, three trains will now run every weekday at 6.35am, 7.07am and 7.53pm to connect Berwick, Morpeth and Alnmouth with Newcastle’s new non-stop Flying Scotsman service to London.
Dennis Fancett, chairman of the South East Northumberland Rail User Group (SENRUG), said the new timetables showed local residents could really influence the big train companies.
He said: “We’re very pleased because the first draft of the timetable was disastrous for all the Northumberland stations.
“So we suggested they take one of the Newcastle trains up to Berwick, turn it round and come back through the county, and that’s what they’re doing.
“And there will now be a lot more services coming back from London on a Sunday, when before we didn’t even really have local services.
“All in all it’s great news and shows that campaigning and lobbying has an effect.”
As well as the Flying Scotsman Newcastle will also see three more weekday and 11 weekend services to and from London through East Coast Trains. While passengers at Darlington will be able to hop on board an extra 10 weekday, 10 Saturday and eight Sunday trains.
East Coast managing director Karen Boswell said: “The launch of an exciting new timetable on 22 May represents the biggest change to the East Coast route in a generation. It will deliver more services, more seats and a much improved pattern of services for millions of passengers.”
For those looking to head north of the border Cross Country trains are introducing the 7:35am to Glasgow (via Edinburgh) and the 6:58pm Glasgow to Newcastle trains. The company’s managing director Andy Cooper said he hoped the new services would help support the region’s economy.
“The North East is a great place to visit and Newcastle is a thriving city of commerce, so these extra services are fantastic news,” he said.
“But as well as bringing people into cities like Newcastle, our new timetable offers many new journey opportunities from the city to places like Edinburgh, Leeds and even Birmingham for both business and leisure travellers.”
Meanwhile TrasPennine Express have warned travellers to check their journey details before travelling as from tomorrow services which travel out of Middlesbrough and Newcastle could be running up to 10 minutes earlier.
For all the latest train timetable information contact National Rail Enquiries by calling 0845 748 4950 or by visiting www.nationalrail.co.uk
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