The UK Government has today announced a new investment in the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU). This multi-billion-pound project will receive an additional £415m. The upgrade will make travel between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds, and York more frequent, greener, and faster. Meanwhile, investments in the project are set to create thousands of jobs and hundreds of apprenticeships.
The shift to greener transport will also reduce carbon emissions by up to 87,000 tonnes each year, Network Rail has said. The route stretches across the North of England between Manchester and York, via Huddersfield and Leeds for 70 miles with a total of 23 stops. The upgrade is funded by the Department for Transport and delivered by Network Rail. The project was originally given the green light in 2022 and is expected to be completed by the mid-2030s.
James Richardson, managing director for Transpennine Route Upgrade, said: “The government’s continued support for TRU is a clear vote of confidence in the work we are doing, which is an enabler to releasing the economic potential of the North. This funding supports our onward journey to be truly transformational, delivering faster, more reliable rail services that connect people to jobs, education, and leisure opportunities.
“By improving connectivity and increasing capacity, we are not only enhancing journeys for customers but also helping to drive up investment supporting more housing and more jobs and boosting productivity across the region.”
The latest announcement takes the programme to £7.3bn of approved funding. Network Rail says that this “moves TRU even closer to delivering a modern, high-performing railway, that better connects communities across the North”.
With the new upgrade, there will be up to six fast trains per hour between Leeds and Manchester, plus improved local stopping services. Passengers will be able to travel between Manchester and York in as little as 63 minutes, while a Manchester to Leeds journey will take just 41 minutes.
The plans also promise improvements to local stations which “will provide a better travel experience and increased accessibility for all passengers”.
Rail Network also says that these updates will enable “up to 15 extra freight trains per day, removing over 1,000 lorries from the roads”.
