Selby rail passengers are set to enjoy better services to London and Hull, thanks to a £36 million investment in new rolling stock by Hull Trains.

The company is planning to buy four new Class 220 diesel trains, capable of cruising at 125mph.

A spokesman for Hull Trains said they would cut the journey time to London Kings Cross by about 20 minutes, as well as offering high-class on-board catering facilities. The four-carriage trains, which are to be built by Wakefield-based Bombardier Transportation by May 2005, will also offer more seats than the present three-coach Class 170s.

The four new trains will cost £21.5 million.

But the company is also buying four new 100mph Class 170s, worth £14.5 million, from Alsthom, based in Derby. These will replace Hull Trains' current 170s from March 2004.

When the four new Class 220s arrive, the new 170s will move to other routes which Hull Trains is negotiating to operate.

Hull Trains currently operates four weekday services each way between Hull and the capital, calling at Selby, with three services each way at the weekend.

The company is the only open-access train operator on the UK, operating without a subsidised franchise and purely on a commercial basis. It recently signed a ten-year rail access agreement with the Strategic Rail Authority and Rail Regulator, which it says allows it to confidently plan for an "innovative and exciting" future.

Managing director Jim Morgan hailed today's investment package as a major step in the company's expansion plans.

"Everyone at Hull Trains has worked tremendously hard to ensure that after just two years of operating, we already have an enviable reliability and punctuality record," he said.

"Since our first train ran in September 2000 we have successfully grown the rail travel market between East Yorkshire and London by ten per cent.

"Our commitment to excellence in customer services has led us to being shortlisted for numerous awards."

Updated: 16:05 Friday, September 13, 2002