The
Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU), a major, multi-billion-pound programme of railway improvements, recently reached another milestone when the Secretary of State for Transport approved a Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO) that will grant the programme permission to deliver several major upgrades to the railway between Leeds and Micklefield.
The confirmation of the TWAO means TRU can press ahead with plans for this section of the route, including the replacement of five level crossings with safer alternatives, the reconstruction or removal of a number of bridges to enable electrification, and the installation of some small-scale infrastructure. Temporary work compounds to help carry out these works can now also be built.
Adam Sellers, ‘senior sponsor’ on TRU, said: “This is a huge success for TRU, bringing us a step closer to delivering faster, more frequent trains on a more reliable railway. The approval of this Transport and Works Act Order will enable us to complete major upgrades between Leeds and Micklefield, which will unlock a range of benefits for customers travelling across this stretch of railway and beyond.
“Our improvements will enable more trains to run between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York with up to six fast services every hour between Leeds and Manchester and up to two stopping services for local connectivity. Our fastest journey times are forecast to be 63-66min between Manchester and York, and 41-42min between Manchester and Leeds. We are also developing a proposal to move more goods by rail, with up to 15 more freight trains each day. These freight trains are expected to remove over 1,000 lorries off the road each day.
“TRU will also provide jobs for local people, with 80% of employment from within a 40-mile radius of the route, and 60% employment from within a 25-mile radius; and while the current workforce is around 2,000 people, we estimate that could double over the course of the programme. Furthermore, we will employ an apprentice for every £4 million spent.”