PRESSURE was mounting last night for a final decision on the East Coast Main Line franchise as a ten-year blueprint for the railways was revealed.

The £60bn vision for the industry, announced by the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA), details a number of schemes which could go ahead over the next decade.

These include plans to upgrade the line, linking Scotland, the North-East and North Yorkshire with the capital, at a cost of £2.9bn.

It is due to be fully re-opened today, to GNER passenger trains between York and Doncaster, following the Selby rail crash.

The strategic plan also details a scheme to improve links on the trans-Pennine route between York and Manchester.

Other plans unveiled include reopening the line between Ferryhill, County Durham, and Stockton to passenger trains, and extending the Newcastle Metro.

Last night, Christopher Garnett, chief executive of GNER, which is battling Virgin for the 20-year franchise on the East Coast Main Line, said: "Now is a golden opportunity for the Government to announce the successful bidder.

"This important project has been planned in detail for more than three years and its delivery should not be delayed."

The SRA passed its recommendation concerning the franchise winner to the Government before Christmas, and a decision was due to be announced weeks ago.

It was delayed yet again last month after Railtrack announced that its estimates of the cost of the line upgrade could increase by up to 100 per cent. Agreement has now been reached over the costs between Railtrack and the SRA.

Ernie Preston, secretary of the North-East rail passengers' committee, said he was disappointed there was still no starting date for the East Coast Main Line upgrade.

He said the railways had taken "a step forward, but not yet arrived" with the new strategic plan.

The SRA, in its ten-year plan, indicated there would be a reduced investment role for Railtrack.

The job of maintaining and improving the network was too big for the company, it said.