Commuters travelling between York and Scarborough are in line for more trains after Mayor David Skaith secured Government backing for extra services on the line.
From December 2028, there will be two additional TransPennine Express services in the morning peak and two in the evening – giving passengers a better chance of catching a train at the times they actually need one.
The new timetable will add departures from York at 6.35am and 5.35pm, with return services from Scarborough at 7.30am and 6.30pm.
Currently, just one train per hour runs between York and Scarborough. The new services are a step towards the half-hourly frequency that local leaders have been pushing for.
Mr Skaith said the announcement was a significant win for communities along the line, including York, Malton, Seamer and Scarborough.
“For too long, commuters have needed more flexibility,” he said. “These extra morning and evening services are a major step towards our goal of a half-hourly service connecting the coast to the city.”
The additional trains will be among the first to run under Great British Railways – the new body being created as the Government nationalises rail services in the UK.
Rail minister Lord Peter Hendy said the improvements would be “transformative for passengers, giving more choice and greater flexibility to communities across North Yorkshire”.
Chris Jackson, managing director at TransPennine Express, said the operator was “delighted” to be delivering the services, adding that they would give customers “more choice and greater flexibility at the times they need it most.”
The announcement follows campaigning by MPs along the route. Alison Hume, MP for Scarborough and Whitby, called it “a big win for our local community.”
“Better connectivity, which these extra services will bring for commuters and students, is key to unlocking Scarborough’s potential,” she said. “I’m going to continue pressing for two trains an hour throughout the entire day.”
Luke Charters, MP for York Outer, said the news would benefit not just commuters but also those heading to the coast for leisure. He added that the planned new Haxby station – which will sit on the same line – would eventually allow local residents to board at Haxby and travel direct to Scarborough.
Rachael Maskell, MP for York Central, said she welcomed the boost after what she described as a “long campaign” to improve services. “People need the real choice of travelling by train rather than by car and to be able to rely on the service,” she said.
The extra services are intended to work alongside the Transpennine Route Upgrade and Northern Powerhouse Rail investment already under way in the region — with the aim of better connecting York, North Yorkshire and the coast.
North Yorkshire Council leader Cllr Carl Les said the additional trains would be of “real benefit” to people travelling to and from Scarborough, and called for the best possible rail network across the county, including its coastal towns.
