PASSENGERS on Grand Central's Bradford to London services will start seeing changes in the new year as the firm begins a £7.8m investment programme by revamping its trains and stations.

This is aimed at improving the reliability, capacity and comfort of its services over the next 12 years following a ten-year extension on its contract that will see it running trains until 2026.

The investment will include leather seats in first class and improvements across the standard class carriages, such as to toilets. There will also be LED lighting onboard trains which will lead to the improved reliability of power sockets for charging mobile phones and laptops. The usability and speed of the free Wi-Fi connection on trains will also be improved.

In addition Grand Central is to expand its busiest trains by 20 per cent, by adding extra carriages, such as on its peak services and busy Friday night London to Bradford service.

A total of £5.2m will be spent on the refurbishment project, while the remaining £2.6m will be spent on improving passenger facilities at the stations it calls at between London, the North East and Yorkshire.

Furthermore the firm is to lease a further five Class 180 trains, which will be seen on the rails from 2017, along with the company's existing vehicles of that type. This will provide them with an additional two trains in the fleet, which will provide flexibility in terms of train maintenance and capacity, and help reduce delays.

Richard McClean, managing director of Grand Central Rail, said: “We’ve listened to our passengers and the investments we’re making will improve the reliability of services as well as the comfort and reliability of our on-board facilities. We’re starting our investments early to get a head start on improvements for passengers, with a refurbishment to our current fleet due to begin in early 2015. Our entire fleet will be brought up to a new high standard, with leather seats in First Class and improvements across the Standard class carriages, toilets and vestibules.

“We’ll also switch to using LED lighting on board which, as well as being better for the environment, will improve the reliability of power sockets for charging mobile phones and laptops. Our on-board Wi-Fi will also remain free for all passengers in both Standard and First Class and we’re already making improvements to the usability and speed of the Wi-Fi connection.”

Mr McClean added that he would look at the possibility of including the new Low Moor station in their timetable, when the station is up and running, which is expected to be next year.

He said they wanted to work with Network Rail, local authorities and station facility owners to make further improvements at the stations they serve.

"We’ll invest to increase car parking capacity and passenger facilities, as well as working with public transport providers to improve the journeys to and from stations where we can, making it easier for passengers to get to and from the train. The communities along our routes are at the heart of our business and we have therefore ensured that our investment goes beyond our fleet and right out into those communities for the benefit of local passengers.”

In addition the firm's Station Ambassador programme, which currently operates at three stations, including Brighouse, will expand to include Mirfield and Thirsk over the next two years. The volunteer ambassadors work on Sundays, when stations can be unstaffed and the majority of rail engineering work takes place.