RAILWAYS across North Yorkshire are set to benefit from a £6m investment by Network Rail.

Vital improvements will be made to the East Coast Main Line in the region as part of the company’s Railway Upgrade Plan.

The 11-week upgrade will see the renewal of switches and crossings - the equipment which allows trains to move from one piece of track to another.

Trains will be affected from February 26 and then on consecutive weekends until May 14.

Work will take place overnight at weekends in order to reduce the disruption to passengers, with changes to Saturday evening services between York and Newcastle/Middlesbrough as well as services calling at Thirsk.

During the works, passengers are advised to check with their train operator before they travel as trains may run at earlier times or be replaced by bus services.

Rob McIntosh, route managing director at Network Rail said: “This investment in the East Coast Main Line at Thirsk is a vital aspect of our Railway Upgrade Plan, to provide a bigger and better railway for the millions of passengers who use this important north-south route.

"The completed project will provide a more reliable railway, something I know passengers want to see.

“We are doing this upgrade work overnight at weekends which is a time when fewer people use the railway, but there is never a good time to disrupt journeys and I apologise for any inconvenience caused during this essential piece of work.”