Date: 17/09/2010

Plans to buy a new fleet of express trains to cut journey times between West Yorkshire and London could be ditched despite the last government splashing out £26m on the project. Transport minister Theresa Villiers said the coalition was assessing whether to extend the life of the East Coast Mainline's ageing InterCity 125s instead of buying new trains. Her comments, during a parliamentary debate, will heighten fears that the proposed £7.5bn Inter City Express Programme (IEP) will not survive this month's spending review. [From Scott Markwell]

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Related images

A British Rail InterCity 125, about to leave Bristol Temple Meads station in 1985 with a service to London Paddington.
Location: Bristol Temple Meads
Company: Great Western Railway
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