LONDON, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- A major upgrade of Britain's railway network, costing almost 64 billion U.S. dollars, was announced Thursday by government Transport Secretary Chris Grayling.
The investment, spanning the five year period from 2019, is aimed at boosting train reliability and punctuality, major upgrades and new faster trains.
The Department for Transport (DfT) said the new investment comes on top of record rail funding over the past 5 years as part of the government's biggest rail modernization program for over a century.
Grayling said: "Passengers want a railway they can rely on and that's where this huge investment will make a real difference to their everyday lives, by renewing more tracks earlier and increasing maintenance to deliver far better services.
"This investment is about boosting reliability and punctuality for millions of journeys, and we will do this alongside building major upgrades around the country and delivering new, faster, more comfortable trains."
Addressing MPs in the House of Commons, Grayling said: "We have some of the most intensively used railways in Europe, and this investment focuses on the essential work needed to ensure their safety and reliability... This investment recognizes the critical importance of these activities in preserving the day to day operation of the railway."
