Government Announces £1 Billion Investment in Battery Electric Trains for Northern England
2 sources · United Kingdom
Who reported this
- The Guardian
- The Independent
What the colours mean
- Left
- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
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The UK government has announced a £1 billion scheme to build 29 new battery electric trains designed to provide faster and more reliable journeys across the North. The new fleet, consisting of Adessia Stream models, will be the first of its kind used for long distance main line rail in the UK. These trains will be built by Alstom at its Litchurch Lane site in Derby starting in 2028, with a full rollout expected by the end of 2034.
According to government statements, the project will support 350 local jobs and nearly 6,000 positions across the UK supply chain. The trains will be purchased by rolling stock company Rock Rail and leased to TransPennine Express. They are expected to increase trans Pennine capacity by 30% by the mid 2030s and reduce journey times by up to 10 minutes between Manchester and Leeds and up to 14 minutes between Manchester and York.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that the investment is part of the Great British Railways mission to take back control of the basics. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander added that the fleet will allow passengers to replace overcrowded diesel trains with faster electric options. The new trains will operate without emissions on non electrified sections of the track and will feature improved accessibility, including step free boarding, more wheelchair spaces, and onboard Wi Fi.
Routes covered by the new fleet will include services from Liverpool Lime Street to Scarborough, Manchester Airport to Saltburn, and Manchester Piccadilly to Hull.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- Outlets of this lean framed the announcement as a positive step toward regional economic expansion and a necessary modernization of failing rail infrastructure.
Sources
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