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Rail firm GNER had wanted to run 12 more trains between Leeds and London to create a half-hourly service every weekday, while another operator, Grand Central, proposed a new direct link between Bradford and the capital.
But the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) yesterday rejected both applications after warning of limited space on the East Coast Main Line (ECML), which links Yorkshire, London and Scotland.
It did however give the provisional go-ahead for Grand Central to launch a new Sunderland to London service from early next year. It should be good news for North Yorkshire, offering three daily direct trains each way calling at Thirsk, Northallerton and York.
The overall decision was last night branded as a "slap in the face" by the Leeds Chamber of Commerce.
The Leeds-London route is Britain's biggest and fastest- growing long distance rail market but has fewer services than those running between the capital and Manchester and Newcastle respectively. The planned extra trains would have benefited towns like Halifax, Brighouse, Wakefield and Doncaster.
Campaigners called for the lack of space on the route to be addressed or risk people being priced-off the railways. Large sections of the route only have two tracks, but it is used by six train operators.
GNER said it was "extremely puzzled" and was reviewing all its options – including legal ones – as it was being prevented from implementing a franchise commitment agreed with the Government, subject to ORR approval.
Grand Central said it was "guardedly delighted" but would fight for its Bradford services, as like GNER it felt there was capacity available on the London route.
Business leaders expressed frustration in the wake of the scrapping of Leeds Supertram and the unfair Government funding deal for transport in the region – at which the Yorkshire Post Road to Ruin campaign is targeted
The policy chairman of the regional branch of the Federation of Small Businesses, Chris Glen, said: "When you consider the size of the population and business community in the Leeds city region you cannot help wondering if they want the Yorkshire region to flourish. It is time we got some decent investment into the infrastructure in Yorkshire."
A spokesman for the campaign group Transport 2000, Meera Rambissoon, added: "It shouldn't be a competition between cities in the North-East.
"The region should be able to stand united, and call for the upgrade of the East Coast rail route and that future demand is met."
The ORR is now asking Network Rail to prioritise work on a new 10-year strategy to make best use of the East Coast Main Line, which the regulator anticipates will make it possible to accommodate extra trains once completed.
n The Yorkshire Post Road to Ruin campaign has been gathering support after highlighting how the region's transport network is being dealt an unfair hand by the Government. To sign our petition go to www.yorkshireposttoday.co.uk.
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