Faster rail journeys across Pennines signalled

FASTER and more frequent trains will be running across the Pennines after an £85m funding boost was approved by the Government as part of a £200m package of rail improvements.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th Mar 2011, 06:00 BST

Journey times from Leeds, York and Hull to Manchester and Liverpool will be slashed after a five-year plan to develop the Ordsall Chord was given the go ahead.

The Ordsall Chord, a new piece of railway in Manchester connecting Piccadilly and Victoria stations, could see all trans Pennine services going via Manchester Victoria station – a potentially much quicker route – as soon as 2016.

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It would also mean more fast trains could run – as many as six per hour between Leeds and Manchester.

The project is a key part of the Northern Hub programme which could create as many as 23,000 jobs across the North with an extra 700 trains every day helping to stimulate £4.2bn of benefits to the regional economy.

Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said: “The Government’s investment in this £85m scheme is great news for rail passengers on both sides of the Pennines and shows the Government’s commitment to investing in our existing railways, while also planning a new high speed network.

“This new stretch of track will enable Trans Pennine trains from Leeds, York, Hull, Middlesbrough and Newcastle to use Manchester Victoria and continue on to Liverpool as well as Manchester Airport. This will cut average journey times between Leeds and Manchester by 15 minutes and between Leeds and Liverpool by around 35 minutes.

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“In addition, this scheme will allow a 50 per cent increase in trains between Leeds and Manchester via Huddersfield and release much needed platform capacity at Manchester Piccadilly. The scheme is expected to be complete by the end of 2016.”

The Northern Hub is Network Rail’s plan to improve services between the cities of the North.

Graham Botham, Network Rail’s Programme Sponsor, said: “We are delighted with the funding announcement from the Chancellor, which will allow Network Rail to bring forward a stage of development of the Northern Hub plans.

“The Northern Hub will help deliver faster, more frequent journeys between Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds and stimulate economic growth across the North.”

In all, rail projects have been allocated an additional £200m, including the long-awaited redoubling of the Great Western line between Swindon and Kemble.

Related topics:ManchesterLeedsGovernmentLiverpoolNorth