The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced a deal to construct the next generation of trains.

Almost 500 new carriages will be manufactured as part of the agreement, which is worth a total of £2.7 billion. The vehicles will be built by Hitachi at its rail factory in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

The new trains are expected to offer greater benefits to passengers, as capacity is set to increase by 19 per cent. Journey times will also be reduced between London, Leeds, Newcastle and Edinburgh. 

According to the DfT, the vehicles will operate on the East Coast Mainline from 2018, as part of the £5.7 billion Intercity Express Programme (IEP). It claimed the scheme has so far created 730 local jobs in the north-east, proving it is also good for the economy.

Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin commented: "These new trains will transform rail travel between many of the great towns and cities of England and Scotland. This deal is further proof that our long-term plans are on track."

In total, 866 new carriages will be built at the factory as part of the IEP, as the Great Western Mainline will also see the development of new stock in the coming years.