Shapps confirms funding and new council to accelerate trans-Pennine upgrade
WORK to modernise and partially electrify the Leeds-HuddersfieldManchester route received a huge boost on July 23 when the Government confirmed a £589million fund to support design and enabling works.
The centrepiece of Network Rail’s multi-billion pound trans-Pennine upgrade project, first revealed in 2018, includes the quadrupling of around eight miles of railway between Dewsbury and Huddersfield, a new grade-separated junction at Ravensthorpe, near Mirfield, provision of a fourth through platform at Huddersfield and electrification.
Complex project
The complex and expensive project will create additional capacity for passenger and freight trains on one of the route’s most congested sections, restoring four-track operation between Ravensthorpe and Huddersfield via Heaton Lodge Junction, which was reduced to double track by BR almost 50 years ago.
Full electrification of the Leeds to Manchester route is also now being considered, along with the provision of digital signalling systems, further four-tracking at undisclosed locations and enhancements to allow electrically hauled freight to use the route.
An Integrated Rail Plan for the route is currently in progress and will be published in December.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, who holds the additional position of Northern Powerhouse Minister, also announced the creation of a new Northern Transport Acceleration Council on July 23.
The new body will provide a ‘direct line’ between political leaders in the north of England and Government ministers to accelerate infrastructure improvements across the region.
The council will work with dedicated Department for Transport (DfT) staff based in northern cities and will meet for the first time in September.
The move was welcomed across the political spectrum, with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham saying: “This feels like a gear change from the Government in the delivery of transport improvements in the North of England, and I welcome the new drive the Transport Secretary is bringing to this.
‘Capacity issues’
“But it is important to be clear that upgrading the existing railway between Manchester and Leeds does not diminish the need for a new line in Northern Powerhouse Rail, nor does it solve the capacity issues in central Manchester which require a separate solution.”
However, the creation of the NTAC throws doubt on the role of Transport for the North (TfN), the sub-national statutory body established to oversee the operation and development of transport across the north of England.
Shadow Transport Secretary
Jim McMahon said: “While we welcome an announcement of devolution of transport powers, we’ve heard all this before.
“Transport for the North was set up to deliver the same aims as this new body, yet it had its roles and responsibilities pulled from underneath it.
He added: “The Government needs to deliver tangible action and give the funding and powers needed to rebalance infrastructure spending across the country.”