Supporting the Northern Powerhouse
Passengers, communities and businesses in the North will benefit from big changes happening on our railway.
Big Changes 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.
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Furness line passengers to benefit from a more reliable railway in ArnsidePassengers using the railway between Barrow-in-Furness and Lancaster will soon have more reliable journeys. Half a million...
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Network Rail announces £640m contract awards to deliver design servicesNetwork Rail has announced the award of 82 framework contracts to deliver design services across the country, worth an...
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Network Rail launches action plan for working with small and medium businessesNetwork Rail has published its plan of action for working more effectively and closely with small and medium enterprises...
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Upgrade at MetroCentre station will mean more seats for passengersNetwork Rail is working with Northern to extend both of the platforms at MetroCentre station, to allow newer trains with more...
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Network Rail announce major improvement to Beverley railway stationNetwork Rail has today (Tuesday, 14 January) announced that £600,000 will be invested at Beverley railway station to improve...
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Temporary Metro depot takes shape in North TynesideA new temporary Metro train depot in North Tyneside is starting to take shape, with the first new tracks put in place. 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?
