Updated 10.45

The Prime Minister is promising that £1.7 billion will be invested in transport systems in the north of England.

The plans, which Sir Keir Starmer is set to confirm today during a factory visit in the region, include an upgrade to the Liverpool-Hull corridor. The Transpennine railway between Manchester, Leeds and York will receive a further £415 million.

Other key projects which the Prime Minister has highlighted include a tram system for West Yorkshire, the new Merseyrail station at the Baltic Triangle, which shoukd be complete by 2028, and a tram/bus interchange at Bury, which will receive £80 million.

The Prime Minister said: ‘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. I lived in Leeds for years, I get that this has real-world impacts – missed appointments, children late to school, work meetings rescheduled – all leading to insecurity and instability for working people.

‘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. The film studios in Bradford, life sciences in Liverpool, the fintech industry in Leeds – it is time they had a government on their side to get the North motoring again.

‘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. Through our Plan for Change, we are upgrading transport in the North, we are correcting years of unfairness that has gone before, and we are better linking our historic towns and cities. That means boosting living standards, putting more money in the pockets of working people, and restoring pride to communities.’

Transpennine Route Upgrade managing director James Richardson said: ‘The government’s continued support for TRU is a clear vote of confidence in the work we are doing, which is an enabler to releasing the economic potential of the North. This funding supports our onward journey to be truly transformational, delivering faster, more reliable rail services that connect people to jobs, education, and leisure opportunities.

‘By improving connectivity and increasing capacity, we are not only enhancing journeys for customers but also helping to drive up investment supporting more housing and more jobs and boosting productivity across the region.’

Do you have a comment on this story? Please click here  to send an email to Platform at Railnews.

Moderated comments will be published on this site, and may also be used in the next print edition.