Leeds-Manchester rail route investment: ‘Businesses will be the first to work with the Government to achieve this’

A new Trans-Pennine rail route between Manchester and Leeds was announced by the Prime Minister  over the weekend, setting out a domestic agenda to “turbo-charge regional growth and prosperity.”

In a speech in Manchester, Boris Johnson reaffirmed that one of his top domestic priorities will be to level out opportunities. Pledging new intercity rail routes, with  Leeds to Manchester as part of the Northern Powerhouse Rail plans as the first step, the Prime Minister said:  “I want to be the PM who does with Northern Powerhouse Rail what we did with Crossrail in London. And today I am going to deliver on my commitment to that vision with a pledge to fund the Leeds to Manchester route.

“It will be up to local people and us to come to an agreement on the exact proposal they want – but I have tasked officials to accelerate their work on these plans so that we are ready to do a deal in the autumn.”

Reacting to the announcement, CBI Regional Director for Yorkshire and the Humber, Beckie Hart, said:“Early signs matter and this is exactly what Northern businesses wanted to see. Unlocking the North’s economic potential will help the UK and close regional divides.

“High quality and reliable infrastructure keeps the economy moving, drives growth in our regions, and has a big impact on productivity.  It’s great to see fast action. Businesses will be the first to work with the Government to achieve this.”

Dan Jarvis, Mayor of the Sheffield City Region, added: “It’s good to see the new Prime Minister in the North. I welcome his commitment to deliver Northern Powerhouse Rail, more powers for Metro Mayors offering real devolution for our communities, providing better bus services and committing greater funds for the Stronger Towns Fund.

“What the North really needs is a sustained programme of investment to level regional inequalities and unlock our huge potential. Good transport infrastructure is key, so today’s commitment to deliver Northern Powerhouse Rail is a welcome first step. But we need investment to deliver the whole of the Northern Powerhouse route and Sheffield City Region’s Integrated Rail Plan. This plan details a vision for the future of our rail services which will transform rail travel for our communities.

“We now need to see action, not just words. I will doing what I can and will be working closely with fellow leaders in the North and with the Prime Minister and his Cabinet team to ensure we deliver for the North.”

Barry White, Chief Executive at Transport for the North, said: “The fact that the Prime Minister has today firmly committed to delivering a Northern Powerhouse Rail network is a major leap forward for the North. One our business and political leaders have been working tirelessly to secure for several years.

“Just days into his premiership, Boris Johnson is here in the North promising to invest in our creaking infrastructure. Not just the Manchester to Leeds line, but a whole network from Liverpool to Hull, and from Sheffield up to Newcastle, connecting the towns and cities in between.

“As Transport for the North, we’ll work with the new Government to make that a reality as quickly as we can. Any agreement later this year must include funding commitments for work on the whole network, including new lines and significant upgrades, and it must be made jointly with the North, as Boris Johnson promised.

“Following decades of underinvestment, our plans are bold, ambitious, and would deliver a radical rail network for our towns and cities.”

Gerald Jennings, chair of the West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “This Chamber has long campaigned for improvements rail across the north of England and the Prime Minister’s announcement is statement of intent that he sees the need to rebalance the UK economy. Poor transport connectivity has been a major barrier to economic growth and our members say to us consistently of the need to improve rail, but also road connections also. NPR will make east – west journeys much easier for commuters connecting our great northern cities including Bradford, York, Sheffield, Liverpool and Hull, not just between Leeds and Manchester.

“Whilst the announcement about NPR is welcomed, we need to remember that without HS2 we will not see the maximum benefit. Likewise we must not forget the need to improve our existing rail network. If we can get this working more efficiently then we will see increased labour market access for companies right across the north of England, giving them wider access to talent to help them grow.

“The Prime Minister would do well to read the excellent strategy published by Transport for the North, which if instigated in full will bring a £100bn increase in economic benefit to UK plc and 850,000 new jobs to the north.”

Cllr Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds City Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Lead, said:  “Northern Powerhouse Rail is key to our vision for a modern, reliable transport network that delivers faster journey times, additional capacity and greater reliability and I hope the Government will now work with us to accelerate delivery of this project.

“By integrating Northern Powerhouse Rail, HS2 and an upgraded trans-Pennine line at a transformed Leeds Station we can maximise the positive impact of these investments for the benefit of all our communities.”

While in Manchester over the weekend, Boris Johnson set out his vision to re-balance power, growth and productivity across the UK. At the heart of this will be a commitment to deliver Northern Powerhouse Rail. The first step will be the Manchester to Leeds route, with detailed plans published this autumn, following the review into HS2.

The new route is expected to cut journey times significantly and provide additional capacity for people across the region.

But the Prime Minister also said that his focus will not just be about major infrastructure projects. He pledged to “improve the unglamorous local services which people use every day,” such as buses, saying it is about “services within cities, not just services between cities.”

He added: ” “I want to help local leaders bring their local services in all our towns and cities up to the standards of the best. And I want that to start now, with improvements that can happen in the short term, not just big engineering schemes that will take years.”