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London's cast-off trains to be used in North West
Trains currently used in the London area will be introduced between Preston and Manchester.
The 20-year-old rolling stock, currently in service on the 140 mile-Thameslink service, will be used on the new electrified commmuter rail lines which have been announced this week.
Transport Secretary Lord Adonis, who visited Preston on Monday, told the Lancashire Evening Post he hoped work to electrify the lines between Preston and Manchester and Preston and Blackpool North would be finished before Network Rail's seven-year deadline.
He said the vehicles, which were less than 20 years old, would be fully refurbished, including air conditioning, and would provide more seats then ever for the thousands of Lancashire to Manchester commuters.
The route is one of the North West's most overcrowded, with most rush- hour services standing room only.
Passengers have complained many of the trains are hot and cramped. It is estimated that more than 10,000 people commute from Lancashire to Greater Manchester every day.
Lord Adonis said: "Trains which are currently run on the Thameslink from Bedford to Brighton will be fully refurbished.
"There will be more seats, more capacity and in rail terms they are not old at all."
He also revealed he was due to receive a report in January on how to solve the bottleneck of trains at the Manchester Hub.
Proposed resolutions are also set to benefit Lancashire passengers, with the possibility of bigger trains and even new services to and from Manchester.
Lord Adonis added: "The next big challenge in the North West is what is called the Manchester Hub. In January I will receive a report on how to increase rail capacity to and from Manchester. It will mean more capacity which could take a combination of new services and better services on existing lines."
Meanwhile news of the full 200m electrification has been welcomed across Lancashire.
Steven Broomhead, chief executive of the North West Development Agency (NWDA), said: "The routes proposed for electrification are amongst some of the busiest in the North West. These proposals...will also deliver significant economic benefits."
Doug Garrett, chief executive of Blackpool's regeneration body ReBlackpool, said the announcement was "great news."
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Weather for Preston
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -4 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 2 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South east
