The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is strengthening its role as the backbone of improved east–west connectivity across the North, following confirmation of £1.1bn in funding for Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) over the current Spending Review period.
The announcement was made during a visit by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, to Neville Hill Depot in Leeds, where she reaffirmed the government’s commitment to NPR. The funding will enable continued planning, development and design work, unlocking long-term benefits for communities and businesses across the North from the 2030s.
While NPR plans progress, the £11bn TRU programme is already delivering the infrastructure, skills and capability that future NPR services will depend on. The programme is upgrading the existing 70-mile Transpennine main line between York and Manchester, creating an electrified, higher-capacity railway that will form a critical part of the region’s future rail network.
TRU is currently on time and on budget, with a quarter of the route now electrified and significant progress made on track, stations and structures. The work is supporting a faster, more reliable and greener railway today, while ensuring the network is ready to support NPR in the years ahead.
James Richardson, managing director for the Transpennine Route Upgrade, said the funding announcement underlined the importance of sustained investment in northern rail infrastructure.
“Today’s announcement is a positive commitment to improving rail travel across the North of England and supporting economic growth,” he said. “The Transpennine Route Upgrade is already delivering the skills, capability and some of the infrastructure that Northern Powerhouse Rail will build upon.
“We are proud to be helping create a more reliable railway that communities and businesses can depend on, delivering faster journeys, greater capacity and a better overall experience for passengers, while unlocking long-term investment across the region.”
The scale of progress on TRU is already substantial. More than 40 miles of track have been laid, work is under way at 23 stations and on 285 bridges and viaducts, and £100m has been invested in three diversionary routes to keep passengers and freight moving during construction. By the end of this year, accessibility and facility improvements at four stations will be complete.
The programme also plays a central role in enabling NPR under the Integrated Rail Plan. Its scope has been designed to avoid future rework, reduce overall costs and support seamless delivery of NPR services. This includes reducing Manchester–Leeds journey times to 42 minutes, creating capacity and gauge clearance for up to 15 additional intermodal freight paths per day, and delivering infrastructure aligned with future NPR requirements.
Key enabling works include four-tracking between Ravensthorpe and Dewsbury, with grade separation to allow fast services to overtake stopping trains; additional platform capacity and passive provision at Huddersfield; passive provision for future four-tracking between Cross Gates and Garforth; a new third line between Marsden and Huddersfield; and digital signalling between Stalybridge and Colton to increase capacity on the East Coast Main Line. Accessibility upgrades and platform extensions across the route will also support future NPR passengers.
Beyond infrastructure, TRU is already delivering tangible economic and social benefits. More than £850m has been spent with local suppliers, over 450 apprentices have started their careers on the programme, and more than 5,000 people are currently working on the upgrade, with the majority living within 40 miles of the route.
With funding now confirmed for the next stage of Northern Powerhouse Rail, the work being delivered through the Transpennine Route Upgrade ensures the existing railway is ready to support the next generation of services, laying firm foundations for faster journeys, increased capacity and a better-connected North.
