Train operator promises half-hourly service between Ely, Littleport and London as new franchise begins
GOVIA - Credit: Archant
Rail passengers travelling from Littleport and Ely into London began a new era on Monday as the route was taken over by a new operator.
Govia Thameslink took over the franchise to run trains between King’s Lynn, Littleport, Ely and London King’s Cross from First Group on Monday.
Govia’s franchise will run for seven years and the company has promised £430 million in investment, including in introducing half-hourly trains between East Cambs and the capital.
A spokesman said: “From May 2017, the frequency of off-peak services between King’s Lynn and King’s Cross will double from one train per hour to two in each direction, except at certain times when scheduled freight trains on the King’s Lynn branch prevent this.”
The spokesman added existing trains on the line would be replaced with new air-conditioned stock from 2016.
While the Capital is little over an hours’ ride from Littleport and Ely, there is currently only one service an hour.
Govia is promising to create an extra 10,000 seats into London at peak times, to ease overcrowding.
Most Read
- 1 Boys, 13 and 17 killed in horror BMW crash near A47 in Peterborough
- 2 Family pay tribute to brothers, 13 and 17, killed in horror BMW crash
- 3 Shoplifter who stole from store 10 times in five weeks handed CBO
- 4 Motorcyclist caught ‘speeding over 100mph’ past police near Ely
- 5 Food delivery robots taking to streets of Cambridgeshire
- 6 Girl, 7, left heartbroken after beloved rabbits are stolen
- 7 Table made from 5,000-year-old oak tree to be unveiled at Ely Cathedral in honour of The Queen
- 8 'Normally unacceptable' barn demolition wins green light
- 9 Severe disruption on Great Northern and Thameslink trains to London
- 10 Princess Anne waves from Range Rover after landing in Wisbech
A £25m widening of Ely North Junction, at Queen Adelaide, will help create capacity for the extra trains. Ministers have pledged the money to ease the bottleneck where lines from Lynn, Peterborough, Cambridge and Norwich meet. Work is expected to begin later this year.
