The Transpennine Route Upgrade will transform the railway between York, Leeds and Manchester to enable more frequent, more reliable, faster and greener trains – supporting economic growth in the North and delivering real benefits for passengers, communities and freight services along this vital rail artery.
In July 2022, Network Rail submitted a Transport and Works Act Order application to the Secretary of State to facilitate the closure of three level crossings – Rose Lane, Poulters and Adamsons – and provide new pedestrian and vehicular access routes for private rights holders across the railway.
This will be achieved by replacing the vehicle level crossing access with a new road/highway bridge, which will join Common Lane to the southern end of Rose Lane. The existing private stepped footbridge over the railway line, located on Rose Lane, will also be removed and a new private footbridge for the residents of Rose Lane and other authorised users will be provided in the location.
The Order came into force in April 2024 and we are now making a start on early preparatory work.
Our scheme has several crucial benefits:
Network Rail is responsible for maintaining the railway network, and this includes making it as safe as possible for passengers and the public. Level crossings can pose a serious risk to users, so we want to create a safer way for people to cross to reduce the risk of any accidents.
Rose Lane Level Crossing is one of the highest risk rated level crossings on the Transpennine route and there is a history of safety incidents at the crossing.
The number of tracks here is being increased from two to three, meaning a more resilient and reliable railway while also improving journey times and providing more frequent trains for passengers.
We are also upgrading the tracks to enable faster trains to safely run, increasing the risk to level crossing users.
We are electrifying the railway between York and Leeds, and on to Manchester, meaning cleaner, greener and quieter electric trains for those living near the railway.
Overhead high voltage lines increase the risk to high-sided vehicles and farm traffic, particularly at Poulters and Adamsons level crossings. For the safety of the public and passengers, it is important that these level crossings are replaced. There is also insufficient clearance for overhead lines beneath the existing footbridge.
With more seats and more trains, our proposals will better connect the cities across the North. We want to build a railway which passengers and businesses can trust.
The new road will be two lanes wide and include a pedestrian footpath. It has been designed so that the gradients of the road on each side are accessible and suitable for wheelchair use.
To enable us to carry out these works, the Order provided us with the deemed planning permission and rights for the temporary acquisition of land to set up two temporary work compounds, with access from Common Lane.
These will house office, parking and welfare facilities, and plant and materials storage areas.
They are shown on the map below:
We are now starting to remove the topsoil from the area where the embankments of the new bridge will be sited.
We will shortly commence stone deliveries to the site. To reduce the amount of additional HGV traffic on Common Lane, many of these deliveries will be made by rail.
