Budget 2024: Rachel Reeves confirms multi-billion-pound investment to rail and road links near Leeds
Rachel Reeves has confirmed a multi-billion-pound improvement to rail and road links near Leeds.
Transport links across the north of England are set to be transformed by funding for rail and road schemes secured in last week’s budget.
The Chancellor and Transport Secretary Louise Haigh, joined forces on a visit to Manchester today (November 7) to discuss how the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) and long awaited A57 upgrade will better connect people, communities and businesses across the region.
It comes after last week’s budget secured funding to deliver both transport projects that will provide critical connectivity between crucial northern cities including Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said: “Investment in our transport infrastructure is vital to delivering our growth mission. Without improvements to our roads and rail we won’t be able to create jobs and boost business, which is why I prioritised projects like the Transpennine Route Upgrade and the long awaited A57 upgrade in the Budget last week.
“Securing the delivery of these two important schemes brings our key northern economic centres closer together. This government is ending 14 years of neglect of the north, instead bolstering the region’s immense growth power to benefit the whole country.”
For rail passengers, the TRU programme will transform the main line from Manchester to York, via Leeds and Huddersfield, into a high performing, reliable, electrified railway with more frequent, faster and greener journeys.
Journey times between the major cities of Manchester and Leeds will be slashed from 50 to 42 minutes, with up to 6 fast services every hour. Services from Manchester to York will also be cut by 10 minutes.
Transport Secretary, Louise Haigh, added: "I look forward to working on the successful delivery of both schemes that will make a huge different to people’s everyday journeys - making travelling between these great towns and cities quicker, easier and greener."
The Chancellor also announced work on the long awaited A57 link road upgrade will start in the coming weeks, which aims to reduce journey times between Manchester and Sheffield.
The scheme will see the creation of two new links roads and will be integral to growing the region’s economy, making jobs more accessible but also accelerating the delivery of goods.
Alongside guaranteeing the start of works on the A57, last week’s budget saw further funding committed to transform local road networks; providing a £500 million cash increase for local highways maintenance to support everyday journeys and to help local authorities fix up to an additional one million potholes every year.