By Matthew Legg

Last updated 11:47, Wednesday, 03 September 2008

MORE trains to Sellafield and a new platform at Maryport are among a raft of measures aimed at breathing new life into the Cumbrian coastal rail line.

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A Network Rail report on the future of rail services in Cumbria and Lancashire says investment is needed in the Carlisle to Barrow route to ensure a predicted growth in passengers is catered for.

Key measures include:

l More regular trains into Sellafield;

l Sunday services from Carlisle to Whitehaven are scheduled to increase from three to four a day;

l Improving the Settle to Carlisle timetable to give a regular two-hourly service;

l Re-doubling of the tracks at the London Road junction, Carlisle, to improve performance of trains on the Settle to Carlisle line;

Network Rail also plans to remodel the track layout at Maryport station and build an extra platform, between 2014 and 2019.

A new signalling centre could be cretaed at Maryport and additional Sunday services could follow.

The report - the Lancashire and Cumbria Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS) - follows a three month consultation with the public and interested parties.

It will now be submitted to the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR).

ORR has 60 days to consider it after which it will become an established strategy.

Peter Strachan, route director for Network Rail said: “After a successful consultation process, I am convinced that we now have a robust and purposeful strategy for delivering a rail network in Lancashire and Cumbria that can handle the expected increase in use over the next decade or so.

“This is an exciting time for the rail industry.

“The changes ahead will improve the reliability, capacity and connectivity of routes across the north west.”