Exclusive:Northern Powerhouse Rail plans unveiled by Starmer with key Yorkshire upgrades part of first phase

One senior government official described the region as an “untapped gold reserve” in terms of the possible growth this would bring to the UK economy.

NPR will not be the high-speed line, first put forward by then-Chancellor George Osborne in 2014, but instead will aim to create a “turn up and go” railway across Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, York and Sheffield, that mirrors London’s transport network.

This is to learn lessons from the debacle of HS2, officials said, which saw both Northern legs cancelled amid a huge overrun in costs.

Writing exclusively in The Yorkshire Post, the Prime Minister said: “Make no mistake - we’ve learnt from that process.

“The plan announced today has been developed with leaders across the North, not imposed upon it.

“It’s a serious plan backed by billions of pounds of investment in northern infrastructure that will connect cities, strengthen local economies and put money back into communities.

“At its heart is Northern Powerhouse Rail: a major new rail network across the North that will deliver faster, more frequent services.”

The Chancellor has set aside £1.1bn for the current spending review period, which runs until 2028-29, to start development work.

Overall NPR will be built in a three-phase approach, with a raft of upgrades across Yorkshire included as part of the first section.

This will include electrification for four fast services per hour between Leeds and Sheffield, and improved connections from Leeds to Bradford and York as well.

The new through station at Bradford will also be built as part of this phase, pending its business case, which the Department for Transport is currently considering.

Much of this part of the project was based on Lord Blunkett’s White Rose Rail plan, which the former Home Secretary wrote on behalf of Labour’s three Yorkshire mayors.

The simpler upgrades in this section will be started in this Parliament, and the Government hopes it can be completed in the 2030s.

The second phase of NPR will be building the new route from Liverpool to Manchester, via Manchester Airport.

As the North West section of the project will see an entirely new rail line built, the aim is to start work in the 2030s and for it to be completed in the 2040s.

The final stage will be to connect that section of the line up with West Yorkshire, and a new route going to Bradford.

Eventually, the idea is for regular NPR trains to run through the network and onwards to Hull and Newcastle on existing tracks.

Sir Keir added: “Ultimately, that’s the difference between a generation of talented young people who believe they have to look beyond the Pennines to succeed, and one that knows opportunity exists right where they are.”

The government hopes to model the North on interconnected regions in Europe, such as Rhine-Ruhr in west Germany.

Ms Reeves 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.

“That’s how we deliver economic growth, a renewed Britain and more money in working people’s pockets.”

Ms Reeves has put a cap of £45bn of Whitehall funds on the entire project, which officials believe is feasible as it rises with inflation.

The region’s mayors will also be able to spend their own money on particular priorities on the network, using money from business rates, integrated settlements and potentially the new visitor levy.

However, it is understood that more than half of the funding is set to come from central government.

In a joint statement, Labour’s three Yorkshire mayors Oliver Coppard, Tracy Brabin and David Skaith said: “The long-term commitment to investing £45bn in northern transport will transform Yorkshire’s transport network and deliver improved links across our region and on to Manchester, Liverpool, and Newcastle.

“It’ll mean we can deliver quicker, more reliable journeys, opening up more choice around work, skills and opportunity for everyone across Yorkshire.

"Decades of underinvestment have left Yorkshire’s transport network overcrowded and outdated.

“The first phase of Northern Powerhouse Rail will tackle this head on, with a clear national focus on connecting Sheffield, Leeds, Bradford and York with a frequent, electrified service.”

Henri Murison, chief executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said: “NPR will enable a single labour market more like that of London and the South East so a young person in Bradford could aspire to work in Sheffield or Manchester, or a business there attract talent from further afield than they can today.

“The potential of the North will be unlocked, giving us better paid jobs and new homes.

“The need for improved global connectivity across the North is huge, and this will be achieved by connecting Manchester Airport directly to Liverpool and across to cities like Leeds.”

Zoë Billingham, director of IPPR North, made the point that overall the North has been owed £140bn of transport investment since 2009-10.

She said: “The government has demonstrated strong political commitment to NPR, with commitment from the Prime Minister, the Chancellor and two secretaries of state.

“Yet over the past decade, the North has been shortchanged in its transport investment; IPPR North research shows the region is owed a debt of £140 billion since 2009/10.

“It's good to see a £45bn commitment to Northern Powerhouse Rail, but so far only £1.1bn is so far guaranteed.

“Now the government need to get moving and get those spades in the ground quickly; only then will the public place their trust in this critical project.”