News Beat
York to benefit from Northern Powerhouse Rail programme
The Government’s growth plan promises faster, more frequent rail services, creating more jobs, new homes and unlocking business opportunities.
Northern Powerhouse Rail, the backbone of the plan, will see a major new rail service across the North, transforming commutes for Liverpool, Manchester, Warrington, Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield and York, with services running onto Newcastle and Hull.
Upgrades at York station coupled with its strategic position on the East Coast Main Line are expected to strengthen its role as a key hub for economic growth.
Billed as the biggest transformation to travel in the North in a generation, the commitment has been hailed a turning point after decades of underinvestment.
A funding cap of £45 billion has been set to keep the project on track.
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said: “This is a strong endorsement of the vision we set out in our White Rose Plan for Rail. For too long the North has missed out on investment, but this £45 billion commitment changes that.
“By investing in capacity upgrades at York’s station, Northern Powerhouse Rail puts York at the heart of a modern transport network for the North.
“Unlocking better and more reliable services for everyone who lives in, works in or visits York puts our city on an even stronger footing to grow the regional and national economy.”
York and North Yorkshire are set to play a central role in the Government’s £45 billion Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) programme.
While a 35-mile journey from Paddington to Reading takes just 22 minutes, a similar trip between Liverpool and Manchester Airport of just 29 miles can take one hour and 25 minutes, stopping 21 times. This ambitious travel upgrade will reduce such journey times, creating a northern growth corridor from Liverpool to York that rivals Europe’s most successful economic regions.
This commitment also follows immediate action to freeze rail fares for the first time in 30 years and maintaining the £3 cap on bus fares.
The Government has backed Northern Powerhouse Rail with £1.1 billion over the Spending Review period to progress planning and design work.
The first phase will deliver improved connections between Sheffield and Leeds, Leeds and York, and Leeds and Bradford.
In the North East, development work on the Leamside Line will also be taken forward. This will be followed by a new route between Liverpool and Manchester, running via Manchester Airport and Warrington, and finally by improved connections across the Pennines between Manchester, Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield and York.
Regular services will run onward to Newcastle via Darlington and Durham; Hull; and Chester for North Wales connections.
With improved connectivity, York is poised to attract new businesses, strengthen its tourism offer, and support growth in sectors such as finance, technology and advanced manufacturing.
Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said: “I spent three happy years in Leeds as a university student, a vibrant city I was proud to call home. But I’ve seen first hand what underinvestment and empty pledges do to cities across the North.
“A reliable commute, a secure job, a thriving town centre – these are all things that everyone should expect. But over and over again people in Northern communities, from Liverpool and Manchester to York and Newcastle have been let down by broken promises. This cycle has to end.”
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This comes as the Government is progressing the Transpennine Route Upgrade, which is proceeding on time and on budget.
Henri Murison, chief executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said:
“The Growth Plan recognises the significant untapped potential of the North of England, with improved transport between our cities and in time to Birmingham alongside wider investment the clear route to higher productivity growth.
“Northern Powerhouse Rail will enable a single labour market more like that of London and the South East so a young person in Bradford could aspire to work in Sheffield or Manchester, or a business there attract talent from further afield than they can today. The potential of the North will be unlocked, giving us better paid jobs and new homes.
“The need for improved global connectivity across the North is huge, and this will be achieved by connecting Manchester Airport directly to Liverpool and across to cities like Leeds.”
