Photo: Mayor David Skaith with Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander and MP Rachael Maskell at York Station with the signed Northern Powerhouse Rail compact.
The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire has secured funding for upgrades to York’s station that will unlock faster and more reliable, turn up and go, travel across the North.
Heidi Alexander, the Secretary of State for Transport, visited York today to sign the Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) compact.
The agreement commits the Government to £1.1 billion in spending to accelerate designing and planning work, as part of setting a £45 billion funding cap to deliver the programme
It will unlock faster and more frequent trains across the North, better connecting our region with Leeds, Sheffield, Liverpool, Manchester and Bradford.
The first phase of the NPR programme will focus on improving connections between Leeds and York, and onwards to Sheffield and Bradford with a turn up and go rail service.
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said:
“This is a huge moment for York, putting us at the heart of a once in a generation investment in the North.
“Today’s commitment sets us on the path to faster trains for people to get to work and training, visit family, or enjoy a day out and marks a vote of confidence in York and North Yorkshire’s place in growing the economy for the North and the whole of the UK.”
“My focus now is on making sure we make the most of this opportunity for communities across the whole of our region, so people from Skipton to the Scarborough, Harrogate to Hawes can share in the benefits from Northern Powerhouse Rail.”
Heidi Alexander, Secretary of State for Transport, said:
“Today, I’ve strengthened this Government’s clear and unwavering commitment to Northern Powerhouse Rail by signing an agreement with Mayor Skaith on the next steps for transforming connectivity in York and North Yorkshire.
“NPR will deliver a true turn-up-and-go railway for passengers going between York and cities across the North. Building on the Transpennine Route Upgrade and including a regeneration of York Central Station, we will unlock more reliable, and frequent services, support thousands of new homes and strengthen York’s role as a key national rail hub. By providing early clarity on scope, funding and phasing, we’re ensuring York can and harness the full benefits for its people.
“Together, we are getting on with the job to deliver the modern transport network the North has deserved for so long.”
Last week, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that the Government would back Northern Powerhouse Rail in Leeds in front of representatives from the rail industry and Mayors from across the North, including Mayor David Skaith.
Earlier this year, he worked with South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard, West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin and Lord Blunkett to set out their White Rose Plan for Rail, designed to reverse decades of underinvestment in transport across Yorkshire.