The Transpennine Route Upgrade, or TRU, is a transformative, multi-billion pound railway programme that will better connect passengers in the North between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York.
TRU will transform the Transpennine main line into a high-performing, reliable railway, bringing more frequent, more reliable, faster, greener trains. The size of the project does mean that there will be planned disruption to services so the work can be delivered, however, we are still very much committed to keeping passengers moving on a train as often as possible, in comfort and on time.
Stretching across the North of England between Manchester and York, via Huddersfield and Leeds, the 70-mile Transpennine main line serves 23 stations, crosses over and dips under dozens of bridges and viaducts, passes through six miles of tunnels, and crosses over 29 level crossings.
The programme is funded by the Department for Transport and delivered by Network Rail, through dedicated alliances and project teams. There are a number of organisations that make up TRU, and every one of them plays a crucial role in making it a world class programme.
We also work in close collaboration with train operators TransPennine Express and Northern, freight operators, a number of combined authorities across the region, as well as the members of our supply chain.
We believe sustainable development is the only way to keep us on track to a better and more sustainable future.
Whether we are playing our part on the green agenda or maximising the social value opportunities that this programme brings – TRU is proud to take collective responsibility to make sure we maximise this opportunity to leave a lasting legacy in the North of England.
By transforming communities along the route – and beyond – we aim to unlock significant economic, social and environmental benefits.
To ensure our approach is robust, TRU will design, build and operate a railway sustainably, delivering a final asset that provides more frequent, faster, greener trains, running on a better, cleaner and more reliable railway. Delivering ongoing sustainability benefits for generations to come.
To achieve these goals, we’ve outlined our sustainable development strategy up to 2035. Some of this work has already started, but this outlines our journey to a better, more sustainable future. It’s called Our Guiding Compass and you can find out more about it here.
This programme is not just about improving the railway. It’s also about enhancing daily lives and improving the communities along the route. For instance, we are committed to taking part in volunteering days within local communities, charitable initiatives, offering apprenticeship opportunities, and delivering work placements for adults and young people.
Keeping people safe on the railway is at the heart of everything we do. To help keep people as safe as possible, we run targeted safety campaigns aimed at reducing risks on the railway. We take this responsibility seriously and our campaign work has brought the rail industry together with local schools to help raise awareness.
You can find out a bit more about the works happening now and in the near future here.
