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Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, has pledged to invest £2.15bn to bolster “Victorian-era” transport services in the North of England.
The funds include a £1.7bn boost for local buses, roads and trams in the North this year, alongside a further £415m to reboot railways across the Pennines, a £270m investment in bus services and £330m in road maintenance across the North.
According to Labour, the key rail line between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York has been “plagued by disruptions and delays” for years. The route will now be supported with £415m in funding from government to restore its failing services.
The route was run by FirstGroup’s TransPennine Express until May 2023 but faced significant criticism for being among the least punctual train operators. It was then taken over by the government’s operator of last resort, which was set up to take control of failing rail franchises if needed.
Some of the new funds announced will also go towards a mass transit system for West Yorkshire, with the next stage of the business case expected in the autumn. Work on the new scheme could begin in 2028 and may see the introduction of another line between Leeds and Dewsbury.
Other announcements include a new Merseyrail station in the Baltic Triangle in Liverpool and a redevelopment of the Bury Interchange to improve bus and tram connectivity across Greater Manchester.
“The North is home to a wealth of talent and ingenuity. But for too long, it has been held to ransom by a Victorian-era transport system which has stifled its potential,” Starmer said.
“We are rolling up our sleeves, and today’s downpayment for growth is a vote of confidence in the North’s world-beating industries. The film studios in Bradford, life sciences in Liverpool, the fintech industry in Leeds – it is time they had a government on their side to get the North motoring again.”
Once the transpennine route upgrade is completed, journey times between Manchester and Leeds could be cut from 50 to 42 minutes, with up to six fast services every hour, while journey times from Manchester to York will be reduced by 10 minutes.
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said: “For too long, the North has been left behind and relied on a crumbling transport system that’s not fit to serve the great towns and cities it’s home to.
“The government’s Plan for Change will end that and schemes like the transpennine route upgrade will bolster the region’s neglected potential and make travelling between these historic Northern towns and cities quicker, easier and greener.”
