Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, is more than tripling the funding for TransPennine route upgrades (TRU), which will reduce travel times, lay the groundwork for Northern PowerHouse Rail, and cut carbon emissions by up to 87,000 tonnes annually. This will benefit passengers in the north significantly.
The financial boost from £2.9 billion to more than £9 billion is expected to enhance TRU and Northern Powerhouse Rail, elevating an already ambitious project to a “gold standard” and advancing the government’s goal of Levelling Up the nation.
The entire line will be outfitted with cutting-edge technology, expanding the number of tracks from two to four, completing the electrification and full digital signalling, and increasing capacity for passenger and freight services between Huddersfield and Westtown in Dewsbury.
For the advancement of TRU’s upcoming phase between Manchester and York, a further £959 million in finance has been made available.
The nearly £1 billion will be used to finish electrifying the railway between Stalybridge and Manchester, reducing travel times, and opening up trans-Pennine rail freight flows.
Electric trains between Stalybridge and Manchester are anticipated to begin operating in the middle of this decade.
The funding will also enable Northern Powerhouse Rail to take thousands of lorries off our roads, potentially double the number of direct construction jobs from 2,000 to up to 4,000, and provide passengers in the north with better journeys sooner.
Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, said:
We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reinvent the railways through our ground-breaking integrated rail plan, thus it is only fitting that we carry out this task in accordance with the highest calibre technology at our disposal.
By tripling the total amount invested in the TRU, I’m putting the north at the heart of the government’s Levelling Up plan and ensuring that passengers receive gold-standard services that will be delivered through Northern Powerhouse Rail, electrification, and more railway tracks.
Once completed, the TRU is anticipated to provide a number of advantages, including an increase of 2 passenger trains per hour and more hourly freight slots.
Improvements are anticipated to provide more dependable trips and reduce travel times by up to 40%.
The entire Northern Powerhouse Rail system will be electrified, enhancing the regional ecology and air quality.