PM Unveils £2.15bn Transport Boost to Overhaul Northern England’s Rail and Roads
The government has announced a £2.15bn investment to improve transport across northern England, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer calling it a "downpayment for growth" and a "vote of confidence" in the region’s industries. The funding includes £415m to upgrade rail services between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds, and York, as well as over £1bn for local leaders to enhance transport networks. An additional £270m will be invested in bus services, while £330m will go towards road maintenance.
Major projects include the long-awaited TransPennine Route Upgrade, which will cut travel times between Manchester and Leeds from 50 to 42 minutes and reduce Manchester-York journeys by 10 minutes. Plans also include a new Merseyrail station in Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle, the redevelopment of Bury Interchange, and progress on West Yorkshire’s mass transit system. Starmer emphasized that his government is committed to delivering real improvements, stating, "We are rolling up our sleeves, and today’s downpayment for growth is a vote of confidence in the North’s world-beating industries."
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the investment would help “kickstart economic growth” and provide financial security for working people. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander added that the plan would end years of neglect, making travel “quicker, easier, and greener.” The government claims it is now spending twice as much on local transport in the North compared to the South, aiming to fix what Starmer described as a “Victorian-era transport system” that has held the region back for too long.
