Letter: Electrification around Harrogate was a tall order

I am told there would have been big infrastructure alterations needed, and ideally the line made back into dual track between Harrogate and York along with new bridge building.

My request is simple, and more realistic, why can we not have newer rolling stock and engines, not necessarily new, but anything is better than the now not fit for purpose, in my view , unsafe pacer trains?

I believe that in Virgin East Coasts bid for the franchise to take over the old East Coast routes, part of the submission they made was to replace the trains and rolling stock.

What will happen to the existing trains and rolling stock, while they are now old, they would be considerably better, than our present offering , and with a new coat of paint, be refreshed, much as Grand Central has done when they first started Sunderland to London route.

While this will not happen next week, month, year, a realist time scale could be agreed, and at least us cattle class travelling customers commuting between three of the major cities, towns in the North could have something to dream about.

David Marshall

Royal Gardens,

Harrogate