TRAIN journeys between Nottingham and London are set to be sped up following improvements to the Midland Main Line.
A pair of bridges will be rebuilt in Leicestershire as part of a scheme to cut the journey time by eight minutes.
This will mean the fastest service between the city and the capital will come down to one hour 31 minutes.
The improvements will see two bridges in Leicestershire rebuilt by Network Rail as part of a £70 million investment to speed up journey times on the line.
Once complete, the new bridges will provide the extra headroom needed for trains to travel at higher speeds, when the forces involved mean trains tilt to one side as they pass through curved sections of track.
Justin Page, Network Rail acting route managing director, said: "This work will deliver quicker journeys for the ever-growing number of passengers on the Midland Main Line.
"This is an exciting time for the Midland Main Line as we upgrade and electrify the route to transform our diesel railway into one of the most modern in Europe."
The bridges will need to be closed for up to 15 weeks while they are replaced.
However, rebuilding the bridges will help to accommodate future installation of overhead line equipment as part of the proposed electrification of the line between Bedford and Sheffield.
Network Rail plans to upgrade and electrify the Midland Main Line between Bedford and Sheffield, subject to approval from the Office of Rail Regulation in October this year.