Railways: East Coast Main Line

Viscount Stansgate Excerpts

Tuesday 20th January 2026 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Viscount Stansgate]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of capacity on the East Coast Main Line.

[Baroness in Waiting/Government Whip (Baroness Blake of Leeds) (Lab)]

My Lords, the December 2025 timetable has provided more than 60,000 extra seats across the east coast main line each week, with faster services between London and Edinburgh and a third train per hour between London and Newcastle. Network Rail is leading development of a long-term strategy for the route, which will incorporate this Government’s plan for Northern Powerhouse Rail, which was announced last week, and the commitment to develop a business case for opportunities provided by the Leamside line.

[Viscount Stansgate (Lab)]

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that encouraging Answer. It is encouraging to hear the progress being made, just as it was to hear a reference to the Leamside line last night in the Statement on Northern Powerhouse Rail. Does my noble friend agree that the progress being made is made possible by the fact that Network Rail, LNER, Northern and TransPennine Rail are now publicly owned, and are able to work together and co-operate without the morass of contracts that have characterised a privatised railway with poor outcomes for passengers? In short, does the Minister agree that the experience of the east coast main line gives us a glimpse of what Great British Railways could—and I hope will—achieve in future?

[Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)]

My Lords, the short answer is yes, I do agree. The £4 billion public investment in the east coast main line infrastructure in trains had stalled. Although Network Rail writes the timetable, it lacked the authority to implement it. Requiring ministerial approval amounted to an excessive level of central control that GBR will remove. Encouragingly, public sector collaboration, free from contractual constraints, enables successful delivery. The result is a major uplift in services, supporting economic growth and increasing the availability of cheaper LNER tickets, thanks to more trains and seats.