FROM today, an unprecedented £1.6 billion will be pumped into our local rail network to help ensure passengers in Derby are served by a train service befitting its status as a global railway city.
And every Derby Telegraph reader can take credit for playing a part in helping shape the future of our railways.
When the paper launched its Electrify Our Line campaign two years ago, calling on the Government to fund the electrification of the Midland Main Line, our readers responded, along with politicians, business leaders and the rail industry.
Ultimately, ministers approved the £500 million needed to electrify and upgrade this key artery which serves Derby – plus additional money to resignal Derby station.
Both are major schemes which will slash journey times and bring us closer to the rest of the country. And now, we are set to reap the fruits of our labours.
Network Rail, which will oversee the work, has promised more trains, more seats, reduced congestion and bigger, better stations as it embarks on its five-year investment programme.
This ambitious plan will also create and safeguard hundreds of Derbyshire rail jobs, while enhancing the city's connectivity – making it an even more attractive proposition to companies thinking of coming here, bringing more jobs with them.
Phil Verster, route managing director for Network Rail, said: "Our investment plans are crucial to making sure we can meet growing passenger demand while maintaining a safe and reliable service and making the improvements in performance passengers rightly expect."
David Horne, managing director of Derby train operator East Midlands Trains, said: "Projects like electrification will make a huge practical difference for people and businesses in our region who depend on the railway."
