THE Virgin Rail Group today revealed the latest details of its bid to run the East Coast passenger train service through York.

The current holder of the franchise is York-based GNER and the deadline for the bids for the East Coast Main Line franchise passed last week.

GNER has put forward a package including 25 new 140mph tilting trains and more frequent services on the line.

The Virgin Stagecoach group first revealed the details of its bid back in March when it announced plans to run 205mph trains on the York to London rote.

It said its Virgin Grande Vitesse would cut the journey to the capital to just one hour 25 minutes, and would eventually be used to provide a long-awaited direct service from York to Paris.

But the Shadow Strategic Railway Authority, which will award the 20-year franchise, said that to have the plans realised within a decade was "over-ambitious" and asked that both Virgin and GNER come up with more detailed plans.

Today Virgin said it was still committed to the creation of a new high-speed line for the route and believed this was the best option to provide additional capacity and cater for passenger growth.

A spokesman said: "This new Virgin Stagecoach bid will enable immediate improvements on the existing East Coast route with long-term options irrespective of whether or not the high speed line is built. This plan will deliver immediate passenger benefits with investment in trains, stations and better journey opportunities."

Its aims were outlined as:

New or rebuilt train fleet by 2005

All journeys speeded up by 2005

New range of destinations served

Capacity up by 40 per cent by 2005

Further 12 per cent capacity increase from 2007

A £47 million investment in car parks and station improvements

A £35 million investment on improved infrastructure reliability.

Virgin Stagecoach said it had teamed up with project management company Bechtel to deliver the high speed line infrastructure if the SSRA adopted the high speed line approach. Bechtel says: "The high speed line timetable is demanding but achievable."

Upgrading of the existing East Coast Main Line would be carried out by Railtrack.

Virgin Stagecoach said tilting trains would not be suitable for the route and said it planned to rebuild the existing East Coast fleet as Virgin Vitesse trains, which could operate over both electrified and non-electrified lines.

In 2007, the Virgin Vitesse fleet would be expanded with an extra eight trains to operate new services to Teesside and Hull.

If the high-speed line is built, Virgin Stagecoach would order another 36 SuperVitesse trains, which would all be in service if the high speed line is opened - and a further 10 Vitesse trains to operate over the "Classic" East Coast route.

It said there would be three trains an hour to London from York.

Virgin Chairman Sir Richard Branson said: "This is truly a proposal that will deliver a 21st Century railway for the East Coast Main Line. We have listened to what people want and have not been swayed by the issue of tilting trains, which whilst totally suited to our West Coast route do not enhance the East Coast franchise."