Transport crossing the Pennines from York, Leeds, and Huddersfield to Manchester could be improved by two multi-billion-pound rail and road schemes.
The budget secured funding to deliver electrification of rail links and an upgrading of the A57 between Sheffield and Manchester, both of which are said to boost critical connectivity between some of the country’s biggest economic centres.
The main line between Manchester and York, via Leeds and Huddersfield, will be an electrified railway with more frequent, faster and greener journeys, and there are expected to be more trains, but journey time will reduced by no more than ten minutes.
The A57 scheme will see the creation of two new link roads and will be integral to growing the region’s economy, making jobs more accessible but also accelerating the delivery of goods.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “Investment in our transport infrastructure is vital to delivering our growth mission. Without improvements to our roads and rail we won’t be able to create jobs and boost business, which is why I prioritised projects like the Transpennine Route Upgrade and the long awaited A57 upgrade in the Budget last week.
“Securing the delivery of these two important schemes brings our key northern economic centres closer together. This government is ending 14 years of neglect of the north, instead bolstering the region’s immense growth power to benefit the whole country.”
Alongside guaranteeing the start of works on the A57, last week’s budget saw further funding committed to transform local road networks; providing a £500 million cash increase for local highways maintenance to support everyday journeys and to help local authorities fix up to an additional a million potholes every year.
