TRAINS in the York area have been affected today by a lightning strike which caused a signalling fault.

Network Rail said the strike happened last night, just after work to upgrade the track between York and Church Fenton had been delivered on time, with about 450 metres of track, sleepers and ballast replaced over the weekend.

"Network Rail teams have now successfully repaired the damage and services are moving, but knock-on delays are expected throughout the morning," it said.

"Passengers are urged to check before they travel via National Rail Enquiries or their train operator."

It said the upgrades would improve reliability in the area ahead of future improvements as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade, which would bring more trains, faster journeys and a more reliable railway between Manchester and York via Huddersfield and Leeds.

Matt Rice, Route Director for Network Rail’s North and East Route, said: “I’m delighted that the track improvements were completed as planned. This upgrade will provide smoother, more reliable journeys for passengers making short connections across Yorkshire and I’d like to thank passengers for their patience whilst the work was carried out.

“It’s unfortunate that a lightning strike late last night affected trains first thing this morning, but our teams have worked hard to fix the issue and services should be back to normal soon.”