Chancellor visits Manchester to promote investment in Northern Infrastructure
Our political correspondent Líse McNally brings us the details of the visit including the Government's plans for the transpennine route between Manchester and York.
Investment in Northern transport infrastructure is “vital” for economic growth the Chancellor has said as she visited the region to highlight the government's commitment to upgrading the network.
Rachel Reeves joined Transport Secretary Louise Haigh in Manchester to promote the multi-billion pound investment plans which aim to "better connect communities, businesses, and regions across the North".
In her first Budget as Chancellor, Ms Reeves confirmed the much-anticipated TransPennine Route Upgrade (TRU), which will improve connections between York, Leeds, Huddersfield, and Manchester, has been secured.
The announcement includes £11 billion to electrify the transpennine route between Manchester and York - which the Government says will lay the ground for Northern Powerhouse Rail.
This follows a £3.9 billion pledge made by the previous Conservative government in December 2023 after the planned HS2 route between Birmingham and Manchester was scrapped.
She also confirmed the A57 road will receive a "long-awaited upgrade," a move welcomed by many in the region.
The Department for Transport has said the TRU upgrade will reduce journey times between Manchester and Leeds from 50 to 42 minutes, with up to six fast services running every hour. Additionally, trains between Manchester and York will benefit from a 10-minute reduction in journey time.
The Chancellor and Transport Secretary Louise Haigh discussed how these projects would better connect communities, businesses, and regions across the North.
Ms Reeves said investment in transport infrastructure was “vital” for economic growth.
"Without improvements to our roads and rail, we won’t be able to create jobs or boost business. That’s why I prioritised projects like the Transpennine Route Upgrade and the A57 upgrade in the Budget last week,” she said.
“By securing the delivery of these schemes, we are bringing key Northern economic centres closer together. This Government is ending 14 years of neglect of the North, instead empowering the region’s immense growth potential to benefit the whole country.”
Ms Haigh added: “For too long, the North’s transport infrastructure has been neglected,” she said.
“That’s why I’m thrilled the Chancellor’s first Budget has secured funding for these two multibillion-pound projects. They will be vital for improving rail and road journeys across northern England.”
Haigh also expressed her eagerness to work on the successful delivery of these projects, which she said would make a significant difference to people’s daily commutes, helping to make travel between key towns and cities quicker, easier, and more sustainable.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham also welcomed the investment, describing it as a "real statement of intent" from the new government.
“After years of failed promises, this investment will provide quicker, more reliable journeys for millions of people and help unlock the enormous potential of the North as an engine for growth,” he said.
The TRU and A57 upgrades are seen as key steps towards improving the North’s transport infrastructure, with the potential to boost local economies and support regional development.