Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) engineers have completed a five-day round of works in a move that brings passengers and key stakeholders one step closer to faster, greener, and more reliable trains between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds, and York.
In Morley and Dewsbury, engineers completed everything from drainage and cabling upgrades, all the way to installing a new telecommunications mast.
The rail line in Huddersfield has also seen improvements made recently, with teams undertaking mining mitigation work as well as installing a new railway bridge.
The upgrades in Huddersfield are crucial to the future development plans of Huddersfield station, according to rail leaders.
Network Rail says this latest round of improvements on the rail line are just another step forward for the TRU programme, which will transform travel across the Pennines.
TRU sponsor, Jonathan Hepton, says: “This work was essential for the progress being made not only on the railway between Huddersfield and Leeds, but the wider route.”
Despite the need for disruption, Network Rail, Northern, and TransPennine Express managed to keep passengers moving,
Network Rail expects the completion of the TRU programme to release a host of benefits, including more trains and seats for passengers between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds, and York.
TRU will shorten journey times too, with Network Rail forecasts putting the time taken to travel between Manchester and York at 63-66 minutes. This is closer to 41-42 minutes between Manchester and Leeds.
Moreover, leaders anticipate that the greener travel will unlock 87,000 tonnes of carbon emission savings each year.
To learn more about how the UK’s railways are being invested in and upgraded, get your tickets for TransCityRail Midlands before it is too late and hear expert insight from rail leaders across the sector.
Image credit: Network Rail
