Transport update: Transpennine route upgrade
Additional funding has been made available for the Transpennine route upgrade.
Today 19 July 2022, the government has made available 拢959 million of additional funding to continue to progress the delivery of the ambitious Transpennine route upgrade.
This funding is a significant milestone and another step towards upgrading the key east-west rail artery across the north of England, to further this government鈥檚 levelling up and decarbonisation objectives.
In addition to progressing the design of aspects of the upgrade, this funding will enable further on-the-ground delivery of electrification and journey time improvement works, mostly west of Leeds.
One of the first tangible benefits will be enabling electric trains to run between Manchester and Stalybridge by the middle of the decade. We are also developing scope that will enable the Transpennine route upgrade to become the first phase of Northern Powerhouse Rail, including plans to unlock freight flows and take thousands of lorries off our roads.
We are also more than trebling the investment in the Transpennine route upgrade from 拢2.9 billion to between 拢9.0 billion and 拢11.5 billion.
This additional investment will enable the roll out of digital signalling technology, electrification of the full route and the provision of additional tracks for commercial and freight services, giving rail users more reliable, more punctual, more comfortable and greener rail journeys.
To date, the government has approved over 拢2 billion of funding for the upgrade. The further 拢959 million of funding reiterates this government鈥檚 commitment to transforming rail connectivity across the north, as part of the Integrated Rail Plan.