A NORTH Yorkshire MP has hosted a Westminster meeting to discuss how the rail line between York and Harrogate can be electrified.

The meeting, organised by Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones, was designed to give politicians whose constituencies the line passes through the opportunity to look at a business case for the electrification scheme.

They were given an update by WSP UK, the consultancy group appointed to work on the project.

Mr Jones said: “With rising passenger numbers and overcrowded trains, electrification would significantly increase capacity on this line and bring new rolling stock, but we will not see the line electrified unless we can demonstrate there is a business case which shows a return on investment for taxpayers’ money.”