A MOTORAIL service allowing motorists to ferry cars between Scotland and London will soon be flashing through York every night - without stopping.

Transport secretary and Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott will officially launch the new service in a glitzy ceremony at King's Cross Station on Monday.

Eventually the aim is to extend the service through the Channel Tunnel to Europe, so that holidaymakers can 'train' their own cars to the continent.

But bosses with Motorail Ltd, the privately-owned company behind the scheme, admitted today the new service would not be stopping anywhere between London and Scotland. It would be aimed mainly at businessmen, and at people from the South-East heading up to Scotland for their holidays.

Ultimately it was possible some extra terminals in central England could be opened to 'open up' the service to holidaymakers from throughout the UK travelling to Europe.

But Motorail was unable to say when that might be, or where the new terminals could be.

Motorail Ltd spokesman Eric White said the nightly service would use freight wagons to carry up to 250 cars. But it would be cars only - with no room for passengers.

Motorists sending their cars by train will instead be offered discount rail fares from London to Scotland at a flat rate of £99 return by York-based train operators GNER. Or they can go by plane.

But Mr White admitted there would be no stops between London and Scotland because the cars had to be loaded at railheads designed to handle freight, and could not be loaded or off-loaded at normal railway stations.

Customers will 'dock' their cars either at Heathrow or Gatwick, and they can then be collected on their arrival the next day at either Edinburgh, Glasgow or Inverness.

The return fare will be £360 to Edinburgh or Glasgow, and £390 to Inverness.

Mr White said: "There are two specific groups the service is really targeted at. First the leisure traveller. There are a lot of motorists that drive up to Scotland, most going on holiday, to go fishing, shooting, play golf. They probably have some expendable income.

"Second is the business traveller, for example someone going for a sales meeting, who may have to journey from point to point when they get there."

Dave Mallender, a spokesman for York-based rail operator GNER, said his company had already combined with Motorail to offer discounts to passengers who were sending their cars by train.

He said: "Motorail are keen to push this forward. They feel there is a market for it. We're keen to help."

The last Motorail service offered by British Rail closed in May 1995. Motorail Ltd, an entirely independent private company, was formed late last year.

Its first paid-for service from London to Glasgow will run on March 31.

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