New delay hits Harrogate-York rail plans to bring twice-hourly service for passengers

Long-cherished hopes of trains between York and Harrogate being doubled to a half-hourly service all day are set to be delayed once more, this time by the Covid pandemic.
Harrogate railway station - North Yorkshire County Council had approved funds for improvement works on the York railway line to create a twice-hourly service d in both directions.Harrogate railway station - North Yorkshire County Council had approved funds for improvement works on the York railway line to create a twice-hourly service d in both directions.
Harrogate railway station - North Yorkshire County Council had approved funds for improvement works on the York railway line to create a twice-hourly service d in both directions.

North Yorkshire County Council had approved funds for improvement works on the railway line which were intended to see a twice-hourly service introduced in both directions in 2021.

The train tracks are currently running using centuries-old technology - and funds for the long-awaited improvement project were first secured in 2013.

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Coun Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at the county council, had been hopeful that the scheme would be ready for May next year.

But, writing in his regular column in the Harrogate Advertiser, the senior councillor whose brief also includes transport, said, although the project was still making progress, the completion date would likely to be delayed again because of the Covid pandemic.

Coun Mackenzie said: "It looks like the objection lodged by LNER to North Yorkshire County Council’s £10m investment in the Harrogate rail line at Cattal will be withdrawn.

"Network Rail has continued preparations for the scheme with the aim to complete the work by the end of December.

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"It had been hoped that the track and signals upgrades would allow the frequency of services between Harrogate and York to be doubled in the May 2021 Northern Rail timetable. But that is looking unlikely.

"Covid-19 restrictions have delayed the training of extra drivers who have to be accompanied by instructors in the train cab, and so December 2021 is now the probable start date for the two trains per hour service in each direction."

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