Sir Keir Starmer to unveil transport plan for the North to turn M62 corridor into 'economic superpower'

On a visit in the North today, the Prime Minister is also set to confirm another £415m to help support services while the Transpennine Route Upgrade is ongoing.

Sir Keir is expected to say that these measures will unlock growth in key sectors like Sheffield’s nuclear industry, fintech in Leeds, and Bradford’s state-of-the-art TV and film studios.

The Prime Minister said he understood the “real-world impacts” of transport delays and cancellations from his own time living in Leeds.

“The North is home to a wealth of talent and ingenuity. But for too long, it has been held to ransom by a Victorian-era transport system which has stifled its potential,” he explained, ahead of the visit.

“My government won’t stand by and watch. We are rolling up our sleeves, and today’s downpayment for growth is a vote of confidence in the North’s world-beating industries.

“After years of false promises and under delivery, this government is delivering real change for the North.

“We are spending double as much on local transport in the North than the South, all done hand-in-hand with our mayors and local leaders.”

Sir Keir is expected to urge regional leaders to move faster on projects, including the West Yorkshire mass transit system.

Mayor Tracy Brabin has promised spades in the ground by 2028, and has just finished a consultation on the lines between Leeds and Bradford.

Ms Brabin will put forward a business case to the Government for the next round of funding in the autumn, however Sir Keir’s support is certainly a welcome boost.

She said: “The government’s commitment to a mass transit system for West Yorkshire is a game changer and will see trams back on the streets of Leeds and Bradford for the first time in 75 years.

“We know that you can’t boost the economy without the right infrastructure in place to get people to work and education – this will help unlock investment and jobs.

“We have heard the Prime Minster’s challenge to speed up delivery of key projects and we will rise to that with full confidence.”

Northern leaders remain hopeful that plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail - the long-promised high-speed line between Hull and Liverpool, via Leeds and Manchester - could be resuscitated in the future.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “For too long, the North has been left behind and relied on a crumbling transport system that’s not fit to serve the great towns and cities it’s home to.

“The Government’s plan for change will end that and schemes like the TransPennine Route Upgrade will bolster the region’s neglected potential and make travelling between these historic Northern towns and cities quicker, easier and greener.”

However, Northern Powerhouse Partnership chief executive Henri Murison said that without funding for NPR, the North would struggle to reach its full potential.

“The existing £13bn of investment committed to by the previous government and continued by this Prime Minister and Chancellor, including the £415m for new trains, will secure improvements across the Pennines between York through Leeds to Manchester on the existing lines including electrification,” he said.

“However, we also need additional funding for stations at both ends of the project to get the maximum benefits.

“We also need work to continue on a new station for Bradford and the Hybrid Bill to get trains from Manchester Airport towards Yorkshire because NPR– including new lines as well as upgrades, with benefits from the North West across to Hull and up to the North East – is still needed in the longer term.”