Rail project promises faster journey times for North Yorkshire passengers
The electrification of the Church Fenton to York rail line has been completed
The rail line between Church Fenton and York has officially been electrified, marking a significant milestone in the wider Transpennine Route Upgrade — a multi-billion-pound infrastructure project aimed at improving rail travel across the North of England.
The work is part of the UK Government’s £11 billion investment in the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU), a major programme to deliver faster, more frequent, and more reliable services between key Northern cities.
With the electrification now complete, passengers travelling between York and Leeds can expect journey times reduced by up to 10 minutes. Services between Manchester and Leeds are also set to improve, with travel times expected to drop from 50 minutes to 42.
During a visit to the region, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander travelled on the newly electrified stretch of line:
“Today is a moment of celebration for a project that will transform train travel for millions of passengers across the North. More reliable, efficient trains are now running on 25% of the full Transpennine route.
“We are delivering on our Plan for Change by upgrading rail links across the North - slashing journey times between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York.
“Electrification between Church Fenton and York was delivered on time and on budget, this government is investing in ambitious projects and seeing them through, delivering change in areas that desperately need it.
“This upgrade is about opportunity, not just by expanding and improving people's travel options, but by creating more than 5,000 new jobs and supporting 6,500 new homes, kickstarting economic growth in the areas that need it most.”