Member Article

Network Rail announce £38 billion investment programme

Network Rail have revealed plans to invest up to £38 billion in its infrastructure over the next five years.

The plans include the potential for more than 25,000 extra seats into Manchester, and nearly 7,000 extra seats into Liverpool, by 2019.

A £600 million “Northern Hub project” which will upgrade stations and the infrastructure to provide better connectivity and faster journey times, particularly between Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds, contributing to an improved economy across the north of England.

Nick Donovan, FTPE managing director, said: “The future of rail travel in the north of England really is an exciting one. There are huge levels of investment ongoing that will modernise and improve the railway for the benefit of customers.

“The Northern Hub and extensive electrification projects will mean greater journey choice and opportunity for all. The benefits are starting to be felt right now.

“FTPE is entering the final stages of delivering a £60 million investment in new electric trains that will not only provide much needed additional capacity but will also enable a brand new timetable in May 2014 to deliver better rail services connecting many of the great cities and towns across the north of England and into Scotland.

“These step change improvements cannot be achieved by one party alone and it is testament to the collaborative working of train operators, infrastructure providers and business and political leaders that rail customers in the north now have a lot of positives to look forward to.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .