Manchester and North West rail passengers to see “more reliable” journeys with £84m government investment

Passengers across the North West are set to benefit from an £84m government investment to cut delays and improve the reliability of trains across the region.

At Manchester Victoria station today, rail minister Wendy Morton MP, announced a package of infrastructure upgrades that will transform the day-to-day journeys of train passengers in the North West.

The work is part of the secretary of state’s Manchester Recovery Task Force’s (MRTF) plans to boost service reliability and put the passenger at the heart of the journey.

Works are now underway with upgrades to track-side equipment between Manchester and Liverpool and platform extensions on the Cumbrian route. This will support the introduction of longer trains with extra seats and an upcoming timetable change across the region will increase reliability.

Further works next year will see additional platform extensions to some of the busiest routes across the North West and West Yorkshire, supporting the rollout of longer electric trains by Northern.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps said: “This £84m investment will make trains more reliable for the people of Manchester and beyond and kicks off a decade’s worth of improvements across the region.

“The Transpennine Route Upgrade, the Integrated Rail Plan and Northern Powerhouse Rail will transform the lives of passengers across the region for generations to come. As we level up the country, we’re determined to use rail to boost local economies, create greener journeys and change lives for the better.”