The Government has announced an £84 million government investment in the North Wedt to cut delays and improve the reliability of trains across the region.
At Manchester Victoria station today Rail Minister Wendy Morton will announce a package of infrastructure upgrades that will transform the day-to-day journeys of train passengers in the North West.
The work is part of the Secretary of State’s Manchester Recovery Task Force’s (MRTF) plans to boost service reliability and put the passenger at the heart of the journey.
Works are now underway with upgrades to track-side equipment between Manchester and Liverpool and platform extensions on the Cumbrian route.
This will support the introduction of longer trains with extra seats and an upcoming timetable change across the region will increase reliability.
Further works next year will see additional platform extensions to some of the busiest routes across the North West and West Yorkshire, supporting the rollout of longer electric trains by Northern.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:
“This £84 million investment will make trains more reliable for the people of Manchester and beyond and kicks off a decade’s worth of improvements across the region.
The Transpennine Route Upgrade, the Integrated Rail Plan and Northern Powerhouse Rail will transform the lives of passengers across the region for generations to come.
As we level up the country, we’re determined to use rail to boost local economies, create greener journeys and changes lives for the better.”
The funding will also allow vital development work to continue schemes across Greater Manchester that will benefit passengers across the region
There will be improved passenger facilities at Manchester Piccadilly, Victoria and Manchester International Airport stations
resignalling along the Castlefield Corridor and remodelling of Manchester Oxford Road station
Work on the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) also continues with the electrification and resignalling of the line and track renewals to deliver faster, more frequent and reliable trains for passengers
