TRU Stakeholder Update - February 2025

Good afternoon,

Welcome to the first edition of the Transpennine Route Upgrade’s monthly stakeholder updates, providing an overview of our progress and upcoming work. 

As a multi-billion-pound transformative railway programme in the North of England, TRU recognises the importance of keeping our stakeholders informed and involved as we work to deliver more reliable, faster, and greener train services for our customers and communities.

Key updates at a glance:

• Major progress made across the route over Christmas and New Year

• Bridge installed in Huddersfield, in preparation for an increased number of rail tracks  

• £175,000 TRU community fund released to volunteer groups and more to come

• TRU driving job creation, according to industry leaders

• Our latest rail blockades planned for 2025, as TRU continues to increase construction

TRU FAST FACTS

• TRU is an £10.7bn electric railway upgrade, which aims to:

  • Provide 15% quicker journeys between York and Manchester on reliable electric trains. 

  • Offer up to six fast services every hour (from four per hour) between Leeds and Manchester.

  • Halve time lost to delays on trans-Pennine services.

  • Deliver early benefits with electric trains running now between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge.
• We've created 5000 jobs on TRU to date, and 85% of colleagues come from within 40 miles of the route. We will create over 8000 jobs during the duration of the programme.

• We’re expanding freight provision – widening tunnels so shipping container can travel from between ports on the east and west of the country via rail, helping remove up to 2000 lorries a day from the clogged roads across the Pennines. 

• While working on a live railway, we are keeping customers updated with comprehensive customer handling plans.

• We have improved the railway on three diversionary routes to allow more trains to run, to help keep customers and freight moving while the core Transpennine route is disrupted to deliver essential works.

TRU social value in numbers

We believe sustainable development is the only way to keep us on track to a better future for rail in the North. Check our progress below that summarises the work and some of our key achievements in driving social value initiatives in the communities.

Productive start to 2025 for TRU

Over Christmas and New Year, major upgrades on the TRU route brought customers closer to faster, greener, and more reliable journeys between Manchester and York. Key works included replacing the 200 tonne Osmondthorpe Lane railway bridge in east Leeds, upgrading Station Road railway bridge in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, installing foundations for new overhead line equipment in Church Fenton near York and renewing track points in Miles Platting, Manchester.

Click the play button on the below video to watch TRU works over Christmas 2024.

One step closer to more rail tracks in Huddersfield

Dewsbury temporary road closures

FURTHER RECENT NEWS

Mayor for West Yorkshire shows her support for TRU

Mayor for West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, enjoyed a cab ride along part of the TRU route, between Leeds and Huddersfield on Monday January 6. TransPennine Express, who alongside Northern and Network Rail make up the TRU Enterprise, hosted the Mayor with Managing Director Chris Jackson providing an overview of progress on the TRU.

TRU Community Fund

Click the play button on the above video to hear from some of the successful organisations receiving a grant.

We launched the TRU Community Fund last year to distribute £175,000 to schools, charities, and community groups along the Transpennine route. The funding is available in the form of small grants (£1,000 to £5,000) or medium grants (£5,000 to £20,000). It has now been offered to 28 local organisations and will be used to deliver projects that improve or encourage the use of public spaces and places. Stay tuned for updates on recipients’ progress this year.

Some of the organisations receiving grants include:

• Woodscape – located near Huddersfield, Woodscape are dedicated to preserving local, ancient woodland. The funding will replace machinery needed to help restore the environment and enable improvements to the group’s community allotment.
• Thornhill Trojans – an Amateur Rugby League Club based near Dewsbury, the Thornhill Trojans will use the funding to enhance their community centre through painting and decorating.
• Incredible Edible – based in Leeds, Incredible Edible grows food for communities to take for free. The funding will enable a ‘Gardening for Wellbeing Project’, where participants will be taught how to grow food, improve their wellbeing through gardening and provide fresh food for local residents.
• The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) – a national charity which restores and protects nature in local communities. The funding will enable natural environment and access improvements across Leeds and York, while also providing training and volunteering opportunities for disadvantaged and under-represented groups.

Further funding is planned to be released by TRU in 2025, and organisations will be encouraged to apply again for the opportunity to improve spaces and places in local areas.

Industry leaders back TRU driving job creation in Huddersfield

Latest TRU marketing campaign goes live