Media centre

Monday 11 Nov 2024

Government reaffirms commitment to TRU

Region & Route:

Eastern

Last Thursday (7 November) the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves MP, and Transport Secretary, Louise Haigh MP, joined Mayor Andy Burnham in Manchester where they were able to see firsthand the progress being made on the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU), as they boarded an electric train service between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge.

Electric services between the two stations operated by Northern began running in August – a huge first step for the programme’s work to fully electrify the 70-mile route – with TransPennine Express services to follow by the end of the year.

To the east of the Pennines, test trains successfully ran on the newly energised stretch of railway between York and Church Fenton in September with passenger services expected to begin by mid-2025.

The electrification of the route is part of the programme’s wider plans to transform rail travel between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York, enabling faster, cleaner, more frequent trains on a greener, more reliable railway.

 

Gordon Kells, Interim TRU Managing Director, said:

“It was highly encouraging to hear in last week’s budget announcement that the Government has pledged their full support for the programme.

“Yesterday’s visit provided the Chancellor, Transport Secretary and Mayor Andy Burnham with an opportunity to see firsthand the significant progress being made by our teams along the 70-miles of Transpennine Route, including the electrification upgrades between Manchester and Stalybridge.”