£1.7 Billion Boost: Transforming the North’s Rail Network and Economy by UK Prime Minister

Hello, Champions of Net Zero!

Today, the Prime Minister is making a significant announcement regarding additional funding to deliver the most extensive rail investment in the North in decades.

Sir Keir Starmer will unveil plans to transform the Liverpool-Hull corridor into an economic powerhouse, rivalling the Oxford-Cambridge arc. This initiative will kick off with a staggering £1.7 billion injection this year.

Furthermore, other funding announcements were made today:

£415 million has been allocated to support the key rail line between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds, and York, which has been plagued by disruptions and delays for years without a concrete plan for resolution.

More than £1 billion will be invested in the North to unleash the untapped potential of local areas, enhancing everyday transport services. This funding will back regional mayors and ensure that decisions about the North are made by those who call it home. Additionally, there will be a £270 million investment in bus services and £330 million in road maintenance across the North.

The Prime Minister emphasises that these measures aim to better connect the North to support its thriving industries. This will unlock growth in key sectors such as Sheffield’s nuclear industry, Leeds’ booming fintech sector, and Liverpool’s cutting-edge life sciences. Furthermore, it will provide support to leading universities that have been hindered by poor connectivity, while commuter towns and cities near London will benefit from world-leading transport infrastructure.

During a visit to a factory in the North of England, the Prime Minister is expected to highlight the importance of local leaders accelerating the delivery of key projects in their areas. These projects have the potential to transform the lives of working families.

Some of the key projects include:

• A Mass Transit system for West Yorkshire, progressing with the next stage of the business case expected in the Autumn, bringing growth to the largest city in Europe without a metro transport system.
• A new Merseyrail station in the Baltic Triangle, which will better connect the city to ‘Britain’s coolest neighbourhood’, starting works this Autumn and expected to be completed by Spring 2028.
• The Bury Interchange redevelopment, fast-tracked with £80 million to improve bus and tram connectivity across Greater Manchester.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves stated, “The transport system outside of London and the South East has been plagued by delays and cancellations, frustrated by strikes and failing infrastructure because upgrades that were promised were never delivered. That ends with our Plan for Change, because reliable and affordable public transport links are essential for kickstarting economic growth and putting more money in people’s pockets across the Midlands and the North.”

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander added, “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.”

Once the TransPennine Route Upgrade is completed, journey times between the major cities of Manchester and Leeds will be reduced from 50 to 42 minutes, with up to six fast services every hour. Journey times from Manchester to York will also be cut by ten minutes.

The City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements are already supporting major transport schemes in city regions across England, including the Wednesbury Brierly Hill Metro expansion in the West Midlands and the renewal of the Sheffield Supertram.

Image credit: UK Government and iStock