Full speed ahead for Northern rail revolution: New routes and 140mph trains to slash journey times by up to 40 minutes
- New rail routes are announced in plan to ‘revolutionise travel in the North’
- Journey times between Leeds and Newcastle could be cut to 50 minutes
- 140mph trains could reduce Liverpool to Manchester times to 20 minutes
- The multi-billion pound plan also includes major upgrades on current lines
New rail routes and improved lines using 140mph trains to slash key journey times by up to 40 minutes are unveiled today as part of the Chancellor’s multi-billion pound plan to ‘revolutionise travel in the North’.
Journey times between Leeds and Newcastle could be cut to 50 minutes - compared to a best time now nearly an hour and half ( 87 minutes currently) for cost of between £8.5bn and £14.0bn, says a new report to be published in Liverpool by Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin.
The 140mph trains could reduce the Liverpool to Manchester journey times to around 20 minutes – but cost as much as £13billion.
The new routes, shown here, will slash journey times by up to 40 minutes- with travel time between Leeds and Newcastle cut to 50 minutes - compared to a best time now nearly an hour and half for cost of between £8.5bn and £14.0bn
Another plan to reduce journey times between Sheffield and Manchester from the current 48 minutes to 27 minutes could cost as much as £19billion.
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But sceptical rail unions dismissed the Government’ ideas to boost transport in the North as: ‘yet more pie-in-the-sky nonsense’. The new Government plans are part of the Chancellor’s ‘ Northern Powerhouse initiative to link ‘the great cities of the north’.
It builds on the Government’s HS3 idea – high speed lines from East to West across the North to link with the controversial £50billion high speed HS2 line going from London in the South to Birmingham and then onto to Leeds and Manchester in the North.
New rail routes and improved lines using 140mph trains to slash key journey times by up to 40 minutes are unveiled today
The so-called ‘TransNorth’ rail network would link Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle and Hull – with sections capable of speeds up to 140mph - Journey times between Liverpool and Manchester could be as low as 20 minutes; Manchester to Sheffield and Leeds could both be 30 minutes; Leeds to Hull could be just 45, and Sheffield to Hull 50 minutes.
Journey times from Manchester to Newcastle could be cut by a quarter (25%).
The report by the Government and the regional quango Transport for the North includes studies by Network Rail setting out for the first time the different options for creating such a network along with indicative costings running to billions of pounds .
Plans set out in the report include: slashing journey times between major northern cities with investment in high speed rail; developing new east-west road connections including a road tunnel under the peak district; and introducing Oyster-style smart travel cards and simpler fares across the North.
Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin (left) has backed the investment but Mick Cash, leader of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, (right) claimed it was just more 'pie-in-the-sky nonsense'
The Chancellor George Osborne (above) claimed the report had the potential to revolutionise transport in the North
A Department for Transport spokesman said: ‘Options range from radically upgrading existing routes to building completely new lines.’
Transport Secretary McLoughlin Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Transport Secretary McLoughlin and Northern city leaders are backing the first ‘Northern Transport Strategy’ report following work by Network Rail work on rail improvement options.
The department for Transport said: ‘The report sets out a long term strategy to connect up the north, create a single economy and allow northern towns and cities to pool their strengths. ‘ The Chancellor and Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin are in the North West today to launch the report.
Mr McLoughlin is today at the Port of Liverpool’s container terminal L2 before joining the Chancellor on a visit to Stockport .
They will also announce the go-ahead of the A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road.
Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: ‘No government has given such attention to the infrastructure of our great northern cities and how to deliver a world-class, integrated transport network for the north. The proposals announced today will reduce journey times while increasing capacity and connectivity, enabling growth.’
Chancellor Mr Osborne said: ‘This report has the potential to revolutionise transport in the North. ‘From backing high speed rail to introducing simpler fares right across the North, our ambitious plans for transport means we will deliver a truly national recovery where every part of the country will share in Britain’s prosperity.’
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: ‘All of this will ensure the North can race ahead in a stronger economy and doesn't become one big bottleneck.’
But Mick Cash, leader of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, said: "This is yet more pie-in-the-sky nonsense from the Government on the so called Northern Powerhouse when in reality transport services across the region in the real world are lumped with clapped-out, overcrowded trains with any replacement programme light years off.’
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