Railtrack is this week set to announce a £27 billion package to revamp Britain's railway infrastructure - including a £1 billion upgrade of the East Coast main line through York.

The revamp will see a host of improvements to tracks, stations and airport links, including the redevelopment of York and Leeds stations among others.

Railtrack bosses were today keeping details of the programme under wraps, but it is understood work on York Railway Station would be over and above improvements already carried out there in the last couple of years.

The station was given a £1.5 million facelift before the Ecofin conference last year.

The biggest chunk of the £27 billion investment expected to be announced on Thursday is believed to be a £1 billion upgrade for the East Coast main line.

The East Coast investment will include the redevelopment of other stations in addition to York, including Leeds, Edinburgh and Newcastle, it is believed.

GNER will not be expected to fund any of the costs, unlike previous revenue-sharing proposals between Railtrack and the train operating companies.

Railtrack chairman Sir Robert Horton is expected to unveil the package on Thursday with a pledge to improve punctuality of passenger trains by 7.5 per cent year on year.

Originally the company had planned to spend only £17 billion on the improvements.

A spokesman refused today to comment other than to say: "We are looking forward to making a big announcement on Thursday that should really take the (rail) network forward."

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