The new services will start on 21 May

Rail company GNER said it would provide about 1.6 million extra seats every year after getting the go-ahead from the Office of Rail Regulation.

The firm said it meant services would increase from every hour to every half an hour between Leeds and London.

The services will call at Wakefield, Doncaster, Newark North Gate, Grantham, Peterborough and Stevenage.

The news comes a month after the company said it would not be competing to run the East Coast Mainline franchise when it comes to an end next year.

In December, the government advised GNER to pull out of the latest round of bidding after financial problems of its parent company Sea Containers were made clear.

Summer timetable

The new services have been included in the Department for Transport's demands for the new franchise.

GNER said the extra trains would be included in its summer timetable, which comes into force on 21 May.

The company's chief executive Jonathan Metcalfe said: "This means that from 21 May Leeds will have a similar number of trains to and from London as other major northern cities such as Newcastle and Manchester.

"Growing cities and towns including Peterborough, Newark and Wakefield will also benefit from the extra services."

Business leaders also backed the move.

Penny Hemming, regional director of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) Yorkshire and Humber said: "This is good news because the quality, frequency and speed of our rail links to other regions, particularly London, are crucial to growing the Yorkshire economy.