A critical bottleneck near to Huntingdon railway station is set to be removed as part of a multi-million pound scheme by Network Rail.

Six miles of new line will be laid between Huntingdon and Woodwalton, creating a fourth track, which will allow fast trains to overtake slower ones and increase the number of services.

The work, which will reinstate a former line which was removed in 1980 for electrification, is part of Network Rail’s £197 million Connectivity programme which involves a raft of improvements along the East Coast Main Line route.

A spokesman for network rail said: “These improvements are a vital aspect of our East Coast Main Line Railway Upgrade Plan to deliver a better railway for Britain.

“The preferred option is operationally compatible, poses a minimal footprint and uses, where practical, the original track alignment reducing the need for significant structural changes and land take.”

It is hoped that the new track will therefore be able to increase the number of services which can run, between London and the north, and improve reliability of trains.

As a part of the proposed plan the level crossing at Abbots Ripton will be removed, that was previously part of a consultation in 2014 to close a number of level crossings in Cambridgeshire.

A series of public meetings are being held across the district to allow residents to have their say on the plans and view draft plans.

Network Rail engineers and their contractors will be at Woodwalton Village Hall today (Tuesday) from 4-8pm and Huntingdon Town Hall from 4-8pm on Friday and from 10am-3pm on Saturday.

Construction for this scheme is planned to start in 2018 and will last until 2020.