YORK Outer MP Julian Sturdy MP has welcomed news that the Government will provide £589 million to begin a major upgrade of the Transpennine main railway line.

The Tory MP said the improvements, announced earlier this week, would benefit passengers and businesses in York.

“Its encouraging to see that the coronavirus pandemic has not reduced the Government’s ambition to invest in the infrastructure and economic prosperity of the North," he said.

"The improvements announced this week will allow all-electric services between Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, York and Newcastle, bring in longer and more frequent trains and create significantly more local capacity along the line.

"All in all this is an promising investment in greener, more reliable transport for our city," he added.