On October 30, Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered the autumn budget, announcing her scheme of “Rebuilding Britain”.
£66 billion will be invested in transport, with a focus on the Transpennine Route Upgrade and the A57 Link Road to boost economic growth and city connections.
The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is a multi-billion-pound railway improvement programme designed to improve passenger journeys across the Pennines, connecting Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds, and York.
This upgrade aims to cut journey times between Manchester and Leeds from 50 to 42 minutes, with up to six fast services every hour.
The TRU programme also aims to transform the main line from Manchester to York into a fully electrified railway, saving 87,000 tonnes of carbon each year.
In a visit to Manchester on November 7, Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, said: “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 in the Budget last week”.
The budget also mentioned the importance of the A57 Link Road project, which will oversee the creation of the Mottram Moor Link Road and the A57 Link Road.
The A57 and A628 routes between Manchester and Sheffield currently experience significant congestion, causing delays for commuters while restricting access to jobs and businesses.
The £250 million upgrade for the A57 Link Road project aims to improve economic growth, improve deliveries and advance the overall efficiency of transportation.
The A57 upgrade is set to start by the end of 2024, improving traffic and transforming businesses across the North of England.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “This major investment in our roads and railways will mean better connections between Greater Manchester and key towns and cities across the Pennines”.
Rachel Reeves has also been working with the Transport Secretary, Louise Haigh, to discuss these implementations.
