FIRSTGROUP has extended its multi-million pound deal with the Department for Transport to continue to run rail services throughout the Great Western network until April 2019.

The new £68 million franchise, announced on Monday, will begin this September and covers a period in which a series of upgrades will take place including the addition of 9,000 seats daily on lines serving the borough, including London to Paddington commuter trains.

Also among the improvement works will be the network’s first electric train lines beginning with services operating in Reading, forming part of the train operator’s £7.5 billion modernisation programme.

This will see the rail giant replace most of its standard turbo commuter fleet with a mix of 58 electric trains comprised of 37 new four-carriage Class 387 trains and 21 Class 365 trains — both planning to run with up to 12 coaches.

FirstGroup chief executive Tim O’Toole said Reading’s passengers would benefit from the 25 per cent increase in seats across the Thames Valley network which is due to be delivered to customers by spring 2016.

He said: “We’re delighted to have been awarded the contract by the Government to operate the Great Western franchise in a deal that will deliver for passengers and the taxpayers.

“As the proud operators of this important franchise we will be using our unrivalled knowledge and experience of the network to help deliver significant upgrades over the next few years.”

The train operator has come under scrutiny over the past two years due to delays and overcrowding, and this week ruffled even more feathers after announcing there will be no operational trains from Reading station throughout the Easter weekend due to more engineering work.

Reading West MP Alok Sharma said: “There’s never going to be a perfect time to carry out major rail improvement work but I do absolutely understand that this will inconvenience passengers during the Easter period.”

Mr Sharma launched a petition last November asking the company to convert First Class carriages to standard class to alleviate congestion, particularly during commuter hours from Reading to Paddington. The petition gained 600 signatures and Mr Sharma met with the Department for Transport in January to discuss the issue.

FirstGroup began operating the Great Western franchise in 2006. As part of the new deal, it aims to employ a further 100 employees on long-distance trains.