NEW research shows that the East Coast Main Line (ECML) has received a fraction of the investment of its West Coast counterpart, prompting claims the line has become the "Cinderella" of the rail network.

Civic leaders have called on the current and next governments to approve more than £400m of investment in the ECML.

Figures compiled by the East Coast Main Line Authorities consortium, which represents councils served by the route, show that the West Coast line has received about £9.344bn over the last decade, with a further £0.236bn investment pledged between 2014 and 2019.

In contrast, the East Coast line will have received about £1.067bn over the same 15-year period by 2019.

Darlington Council leader Bill Dixon described the disparity of investment as "shocking".

He added: "The East Coast Main Line is such a key route for the national economy. It needs more investment and needs to cease being the Cinderella of the rail network.

"We're not even asking for parity with the West Coast Main Line as we wouldn't be able to spend it all, but if we got what we asked for it would make a huge difference."

Darlington MP Jenny Chapman said: "I think those of us who watch these things closely will have known for some time that there's a big discrepancy between investment in the West Coast and East Coast main lines.

"But it's staggering to see the gulf that exists between the two lines. I think passengers who have experienced horrendous delays at times on the East Coast Main Line because of problems such as damage to overhead power lines will be shocked."

East Coast authorities are calling for further investment before 2019 of £100m to improve capacity and resilience of the infrastructure, with more funding afterwards for projects such as revamping Darlington's Bank Top station to improve journey times.

In response, the Department for Transport said that following years of underinvestment, the West Coast Main Line required a significant amount of work to modernise the infrastructure to the same level as the East Coast.

A spokesman added: "As part of our long term economic plan we are investing heavily in the railways across the UK.

"The East Coast Main Line is being upgraded to allow new InterCity Express trains to start running from 2018, giving passengers more seats and faster journey times. To improve its services for customers Virgin Trains East Coast is also investing £140m in trains and stations.”

A separate report released on Monday by the Campaign for Better Transport reveals that investing in the north of England's rail services is crucial to supporting economic growth and rebalancing the country's economy.