Supporting the Northern Powerhouse
Now and in 2020 passengers, communities and businesses in the North benefit from big changes happening on our railway.
Big Changes now and in 2020
Trains
- 220 new Nova carriages by May 2020 on TransPennine Express
- New trains on Merseyrail from 2020 that can carry 50% more passengers
- Refurbished trains on the West Coast by the end of 2020
- 65 new Azuma trains on LNER will be rolled out by June 2020
- 101 new Northern trains worth £500m and 243 refurbished trains coming throughout 2019 and 2020
- Five new trains for Hull Trains passengers, worth £60 million from late 2019
Stations, tracks, depots
- Merseyrail infrastructure upgrades including track, platforms, power supplies and depots at Kirkdale and Birkenhead North
- Northern has installed more than 600 touch screen ticket machines, making it easier to get the right ticket
- New stations opening at Warrington West and Horden
- TransPennine Express will continue introducing mobile touch screen information points at all stations
Communities
- Merseyrail working with 7,000 students in 2020 on rail safety and careers within the rail industry
- First TrenItalia committing to £70 million for free on train Wi-Fi and 5G capability
- Northern launched All Right, a railway suicide prevention scheme
- LNER planted more than 2,800 trees in partnership with the Carbon Trust
Major upgrade work
- £13 billion commitment to transform transport in the North
- £460 million programme of investment, managed by Merseytravel
- Over 100 platforms will be extended at more than 70 stations
- Extra platform at Leeds station
Changes happening now in the North
Below are press releases from rail companies in the North promoting changes and improvements happening in the area.
![Network Rail staff member picture from behind wearing high vis displaying Network Rail logo]()
Network Rail Level 3 Engineering ApprenticeshipNetwork Rail is recruiting for future rail leaders through its apprenticeship scheme. Applications are now open for a March...
![Transpenine Express new train with tv ad characters displayed bucket and spade]()
TransPennine Express a new advertising campaign promoting new trainsTPE is currently investing £500million into improvements on its network, including 220 brand new carriages that will all be in...
![Netowrk Rail staff working on signalling and track in liverpool]()
Liverpool signalling upgradePassengers are benefiting from a more reliable railway after major work to upgrade signals in Liverpool this weekend.
![Staff holding promotion banner saying 1 millionth passenger]()
South Shields' new transport interchange welcomes a million passengersThe £21m Transport Interchange in South Shields has welcomed its one millionth passenger. The landmark building, which...
![Keighley station platofrm]()
£4million upgrade for Keighley stationNetwork Rail is investing over £4million to upgrade Keighley station, to bring improvements for passengers and all those who...
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Grand Central to introduce additional return service in North EastTrain operator Grand Central has received approval to operate an additional daily return service from the North East to the...
People across the North support rail companies’ proposals for change
The rail industry recognise the need for big changes, that's why together we submitted proposals for a radical alternative to the current franchising system to the independently-chaired Williams review looking into the future of Britain's railway. We proposed for a more customer focussed, joined-up and accountable railway.
See whats happening elsewhere in Britain
See whats happening elsewhere in Britain
What big changes do you want?
Rail companies are calling for big changes but what matters to you?
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