‘Yorkshire has long been neglected’ Leeds will be focus of billion pound plans to upgrade railway lines
Leeds will be the focus of billion pound plans to upgrade and electrify railway lines and improve stations.
The Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) plans unveiled today aim to drastically improve how people travel for work, education and leisure - growing the productivity of five largest cities to the national average would add up to £40 billion a year to UK economy.
The first phase will prioritise upgrades and electrification between Leeds-Sheffield, Leeds-York and Leeds-Bradford to transform commutes, set to be delivered in the 2030s.
For too long, the North has been held back by underinvestment and years of dither and delay – but that ends now
With £1.1 billion to progress planning and development work as soon as possible, plans include improvements for Leeds, Sheffield and York stations – supporting significant regeneration plans to unlock tens of thousands of homes and jobs. The plan also includes pressing forward with work on Bradford Station.
The first phase of the NPR programme would improve connections on existing lines in the 2030s on the following routes:
- Between Sheffield and Leeds
- Between Leeds and York
- Between Leeds and Bradford
It was chosen as the opening stage of the scheme as it does not require major new land acquisitions.
READ MORE: When work will finally start on White Rose railway station in Leeds after deadlock broken
A second phase of NPR would involve a new route between Liverpool and Manchester via Manchester airport and Warrington, using a combination of new and existing lines. The third and final phase involved better connections eastwards from Manchester to Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield and York.
Regular services would run on to Newcastle via Darlington and Durham, and Chester for North Wales connections. Development work would also be taken forward on reopening the Leamside Line, a 21-mile route between Pelaw, Gateshead, and Tursdale, County Durham, which was closed in 1964.
With £1.1 billion to progress planning and development work as soon as possible, plans include improvements for Leeds, Sheffield and York stations – supporting significant regeneration plans to unlock tens of thousands of homes and jobs. The plan also includes pressing forward with work on Bradford Station, putting a young, dynamic city of 500,000 people at the heart of the northern network.
Over £11 million of local transport funding has now been agreed for South Yorkshire to develop a new Rotherham Gateway station, which spells an end to slow journeys to Leeds and support the ambitious regeneration plans for the town.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Leeds West and Pudsey MP, said: “If economic growth is the challenge, investment and renewal is the solution. That’s why we’re reversing years of chronic underinvestment in the North. Our transformative plans will create jobs, build homes and unlock opportunities for businesses to invest.”
The North East will also benefit from regular services onwards to Newcastle via Darlington and Durham. This follows recent investment of £4 billion in the East Coast Mainline which has seen 60,000 extra seats weekly through the new timetable.
The NPR plans build on the £11bn Transpennine Route Upgrade, between York and Manchester, via Leeds and Huddersfield.
Yorkshire, with a population greater than Scotland, has long been neglected and this announcement starts the process of putting right years of neglect
Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “For too long, the North has been held back by underinvestment and years of dither and delay – but that ends now. This new era of investment will not just speed up journeys, it will mean new jobs and homes for people, making a real difference to millions of lives.
“The exciting improved stations across Leeds, Sheffield, York and Bradford will reflect the prestigious place rail holds in the northern economy, and regenerate vibrant, bustling districts in these cities. “The first phase of Northern Powerhouse Rail will prioritise upgrading rail connections across Yorkshire and progressing work on the business case for the Leamside Line as part of ensuring services reach Newcastle, improving opportunities across the region.”
Sheffield or Bradford to Manchester can take up to 54 minutes, despite both cities being around 30 miles away - meanwhile Reading to London Paddington takes 22 minutes covering 35 miles. There also are only two fast trains an hour between Leeds and Manchester, which is a hugely popular route and suffers from severe overcrowding. It can take up to one hour 23 minutes to get to Manchester airport from Leeds or Sheffield, even though they are around 40 miles away.
The second phase of NPR will build a new route between Liverpool and Manchester, running via Manchester Airport and Warrington, following in the 2030s. The third phase will focus on improved connections between Manchester and Sheffield, Manchester and Leeds, and explore options for Manchester to Bradford.
This landmark upgrade to rail travel is one of the central building blocks of a plan for the North – to be published in the Spring. This will include plans for a northern growth corridor from Liverpool to York via West and South Yorkshire and bespoke plans for the North-East to make the most of opportunities in clean energy, AI, innovation and city centre regeneration.
Not only will plans improve travel connections, the redevelopment of stations and surrounding neighbourhoods will bring in new homes, jobs and local businesses. Regeneration of Leeds Station will include exciting plans for the South Bank, while development around the new Bradford Station and York Central will add new housing in the bustling city centres. The Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District spans 2,000 acres along the Don Valley corridor, linking Rotherham and Sheffield, with the potential to enable thousands of new homes and jobs.
Lord Blunkett said: "I am very pleased that as a consequence of the White Rose Agreement, signed last March, and the Rail Plan for Yorkshire - which I was pleased to chair - an essential first step is now to be taken to recognise the critical importance of the cities and towns East of the Pennines. It is essential that following the initial investment, the Spending Review in 2028 accelerates the development of a rail system to be proud of, and the connectivity of cities across the North to unlock the talent and the growth fundamental to future success.
A funding cap of £45 billion will be set for the programme, including £1.1 billion over the Spending Review period allocated from existing budgets first. Learning lessons from HS2, the Government will work closely with local partners to ensure planning processes are carried out efficiently and approvals are streamlined to reduce delays and prevent projects going overbudget.
The Government is working with mayors, other local leaders, and businesses to announce a wider plan this Spring for taking advantage of these strengths, firing up productivity and prosperity across the North. This plan brings in existing work to unlock immediate benefits for residents including work to help fill local skills gaps across the country, and will build on this with further policies to improve connectivity, revitalise cities and towns, support people with the skills to access new opportunities, and support businesses to innovate and grow.
A previous plan to extend HS2 between the cities was scrapped by Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government in October 2023 to save money. The Treasury said it wants a new Birmingham-Manchester rail line but that it would not be “a reinstatement of HS2”. No timescale was provided on when it would be built.
Land between Manchester and Birmingham previously obtained for HS2 will be held onto while the project is developed. A new line would ease pressure on the West Coast Main Line.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the Government was “rolling up its sleeves” to deliver NPR. The Treasury said a “funding cap” of £45 billion would be set for NPR, although this could be topped up by local contributions, such as through increased revenue from business rates.
An initial £1.1 billion for development and design work would be available to enable the creation of a “detailed delivery plan which will include timings”, the Treasury said.
Sir Keir said: “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. No more paying lip service to the potential of the North, but backing it to the hilt.
“That’s why this Government is rolling up its sleeves to deliver real, lasting change for millions of people through Northern Powerhouse Rail: a major new rail network across the North that will deliver faster, more frequent services.”
Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “For too long, the North has been held back by underinvestment and years of dither and delay – but that ends now.
“This new era of investment will reignite the economy across Liverpool and Manchester, helping their iconic sport and cultural industries to thrive, and cementing Manchester Airport as the gateway to the north. This exciting new line will not only speed up journeys, it will open up new jobs and homes for people, making a real difference to millions of lives.”
NPR is the focus of the Government’s wider Northern Growth Strategy, which will be published in spring and aims to provide better jobs, more homes and increased investment in the region.