Officials have unveiled the next stage of their plans to upgrade Britain’s busiest railway. The overhaul is the first in more than 50 years. The West Coast Main Line, which stretches from London Euston to Glasgow and Edinburgh via the West Midlands and the north west of England, carries almost 2,000 passenger trains and 15,000 tonnes of goods every day, but “much of its infrastructure is struggling to meet modern demand”.

And with passenger numbers expected to double by 2050, the latest work is “about making sure the railway can keep pace with the future”, Network Rail said. Over the coming years, experts will deliver hundreds of upgrades and renewals as part of the £400 million project.

Officials have cautioned that the works will take a lengthy time, but insisted they will result in better services. Julien Dehornoy, north west and central deputy regional managing director at Network Rail, said: “This is about securing the future of one of Britain’s most vital railway lines. 

“The improvements will take time, but by investing now, we’re laying the foundations for a more reliable, resilient railway that communities and businesses can depend on for decades to come. 

“Each project is being carefully planned with train operator colleagues to keep passengers moving during the vital work. 

“We’re committed to ensuring passengers know well in advance any changes to their usual journey so they can plan.” 

List of upcoming upgrades

• Renewing overhead line equipment, track and signalling systems between Warrington and the Scottish border 
• Renewing track across the approach into Manchester Piccadilly 
• Renewing overhead line equipment through Birmingham New Street 
• Renewing track and overhead line equipment between Milton Keynes and London Euston 

A 2025 House of Commons report stated that in 2024, the average percentage of “on time” services across Great Britain was 67.0%.

This compared to 40.6% of Avanti West Coast, 47.3% of CrossCountry, 49.4% of TransPennine Express, 63.3% of West Midlands and 58.2% of Northern Trains that were ‘on time’.

“Each selected train operator that uses the West Coast Main Line, except for TransPennine Express, was below the Great Britain average,” the document read.

“This is the start of a long-term programme to make journeys more reliable and resilient along the vital rail corridor,” Network Rail said.

It added that the benefits of the project will “build gradually”, with every upgrade is a step towards “fewer delays and smoother journeys”, “stronger links between towns, cities and communities”, “a railway that can better cope with extreme weather and climate change”, “more goods moved by rail, reducing lorry traffic and carbon emissions” and “more jobs and investment that support local economies”.