Transport
for
the
North


says
it
is
‘adamant’
that
a
plan
to
complete
Northern
Powerhouse
Rail
is
needed
now.

The
call
comes
after
the
news
that
£15.6
billion
is
to
be
invested
over
the
next
five
years
in
local
rail
and
tram
networks,
mostly
in
the
North
and
Midlands.
This
announcement
was
followed
by
the
Spending
Review
and
the
government’s
ten-year
Infrastructure
Strategy,
while
an
updated
Infrastructure
Pipeline
is
expected
soon.

TfN
also
pointed
out
that
a
recent
study
by
the
IPPR
thinktank
exposed
the
lack
of
transport
investment
in
the
North
compared
to
London
over
past
decades.

A
meeting
of
the
TfN
Board
in
Liverpool
yesterday
welcomed
the
latest
announcements
of
transport
investment
in
North
of
England
cities
but
called
for
more,
saying
that
further
spending
should
include
rural
and
coastal
areas.
It
also
welcomed
progress
on
the
TransPennine
Rail
Upgrade,
with
electrification
between
Manchester
and
Leeds
well
underway.

Members
of
the
Board
said
outstanding
projects
include
new
lines
via
central
Warrington,
Manchester
Airport
and
Bradford,
major
upgrades
to
routes
linking
Sheffield,
Leeds
and
Hull,
and
improvements
to
the
East
Coast
Main
Line,
including
reopening
the
Leamside
Line.

TfN
chair
Lord
McLoughlin
said:
‘The
North’s
political
leaders
know
that
better
connectivity
can
unlock
sustainable
and
inclusive
growth.
While
welcoming
the
commitments
in
the
recent
Spending
Review,
we
also
need
to
see
Northern
Powerhouse
Rail
become
a
reality
for
our
communities
and
businesses
and
now
is
the
time
for
a
clear
plan
to
make
it
happen.

‘We
need
to
be
able
to
give
our
industries
and
our
young
people
the
certainty
to
look
ahead
and
see
transformational
infrastructure
happening
to
help
build
a
better
future
for
the
North.

‘We
want
to
see
decisions
made
by
the
North,
for
the
North,
in
the
North.

Meanwhile,
Northern
has
announced
that
it
is
strengthening
the
electric
Class
331
units
running
between
Leeds,
Ilkley,
Skipton
and
Bradford
Forster
Square
from
this
week.
Some
trains
will
be
lengthened
from
three
or
four
cars
to
six,
providing
more
than
5,400
extra
seats
a
day.

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