Supporting the Northern Powerhouse

Changes happening now in the North

Below are press releases from rail companies in the North promoting changes and improvements happening in the area.

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TPE donate thousands of pounds of catering stock
Train operator TransPennine Express (TPE) has donated around £5,000 worth of on-board catering product to organisations across...
LNER select startups to help set new standards for rail travel
LNER will be working with five of the most innovative startups around the world to accelerate new projects to improve rail...
Heritage bench restored to Plumley station
A beloved wooden bench has been restored to Plumley station in the shape of a replica as a nod to...
Avanti West Coast serves up a treat for local communities
Hundreds of treats have been donated by Avanti West Coast to good causes across the network during the COVID-19...
Hand sanitiser points are installed on the Metro system
Hand sanitiser points have been installed at the busiest stations on the Tyne and Wear Metro to help customers follow public...
Train companies urge against travel after seeing increase in people planning journeys
With more people potentially travelling by train next week, train companies are urging people only to travel by rail if their...

Big Changes in 2020

Passengers, communities and businesses in the North will benefit from big changes happening on our railway.

New 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

View all the big changes happening across Britain

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.

Find out more about our Big Plan for change