LONDON, Jan. 14 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:

* governmentlaunchesnewgrowth plan for the North to unlock the region's economic potential and boost livingstandards - growing the productivity of 5 largest cities to the national average would add up to £40 billion a year tothe UKeconomy * faster frequent and reliabletrains across Yorkshire,better journeystotheNorth East,andprogressing Leamside Line proposals inplans to vastly improve travel andopen upjob opportunities * Northern Powerhouse Rail will see upgrades to lines between Leeds, York,Bradfordand Sheffield first in the 2030s, with better connections to Manchester in later phases

People across Yorkshire and theNorth Eastwillbenefitfrom faster commutes, greater jobopportunitiesand increased investment as part of major Northern Powerhouse Rail plans launched today (14 January 2026).

The new major government growth plans will boost economic potential and living standards across the North, withmore reliableand more frequent trains across major cities in the regions. The Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) plans unveiled today will drastically improve how people travel for work,educationand leisure -growing the productivity of 5 largest cities to the national average would add up to £40 billion a year toUKeconomy.

The first phase willprioritiseupgrades and electrification between Leeds-Sheffield, Leeds-Yorkand Leeds-Bradford to transform commutes, set to be delivered in the 2030s. In theNorth East,work on thebusiness case for theLeamsideLine will be taken forward, as part of ensuring NPR services reach Newcastle.

With £1.1 billion to progress planning and development work as soon as possible, plans include improvements for Leeds,Sheffieldand York stations - supporting significant regeneration plans to unlock tens of thousands of homes and jobs. The plan also includes pressing forward with work on Bradford Station, putting a young, dynamic city of 500,000 people at the heart of the northern network.

Over£11millionof local transport funding has now been agreed for South Yorkshire to develop a new Rotherham Gateway station, which spellsan end to slow journeys to Leeds and support the ambitious regeneration plans for the town.

TheNorth Eastwill alsobenefitfrom regular services onwards to Newcastle via Darlington and Durham. This follows recent investment of £4 billion in the East Coast Mainline which has seen 60,000 extra seats weekly through the new timetable.

Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said:

For too long, the North has been held back by underinvestment and years of dither and delay - but that ends now.

This new era of investment will not just speed upjourneys,it will mean new jobs and homes for people, making a real difference to millions of lives.

Theexciting improvedstations across Leeds, Sheffield,Yorkand Bradford will reflect the prestigious place rail holds in the northern economy, and regenerate vibrant, bustling districts in these cities.

The first phase of Northern Powerhouse Rail willprioritiseupgrading rail connectionsacrossYorkshireand progressing work on thebusinesscase for theLeamsideLine as part of ensuring services reach Newcastle, improving opportunities across the region.

Councillor Tom Hunt, Leader of Sheffield City Council said:

This is great news for Sheffield. Being included in the first phase of the Northern Powerhouse Rail plans means that the early stages of delivery will provide better, faster trains to Leeds and Manchester, upgrades to capacity at Sheffield station and an important commitment from government to work with us on our tram-train expansion.

Outdated transport infrastructure has held Sheffield back for too long. Thanks to the Labour government this will change. This is a very positive announcement and a sign of the government's commitment to the North.

Faster, more reliable journeys will help businesses in Sheffield and give people access to more opportunities. The investment will help us unlock new opportunities for homes and jobs around Sheffield station and across our city.

Sheffield or Bradford to Manchester can take up to 54 minutes, despite both cities being around 30 miles away- meanwhile Reading to London Paddington takes 22 minutes covering35 miles. Therealso are only2 fast trains an hour between Leeds and Manchester, which is a hugely popular route and suffers from severe overcrowding.

It can take up to 1 hour 23 minutes to get to Manchester airport from Leeds or Sheffield, even thoughthey are around 40 miles away.

The second phase of NPR will build a new route between Liverpool and Manchester, running via Manchester Airport and Warrington, following in the 2030s. The third phase will focus on improved connections between Manchester and Sheffield,Manchesterand Leeds, and explore options for Manchester to Bradford.

This landmark upgrade to rail travel is one of the central building blocks of aplan for the North - to be published in the spring. This will include plans for anorthern growth corridorfrom Liverpool to York via West and South Yorkshireandbespoke plans for the North-East to make themost ofopportunities in clean energy, AI,innovationand citycentreregeneration.

Not only will plans improve travel connections, the redevelopment of stations and surroundingneighbourhoodswill bring in new homes,jobsand local businesses. Regeneration of Leeds Station will include exciting plans for the South Bank, while development around the new Bradford Station and York Central will add new housinginthe bustling citycentres. The Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District spans 2,000 acres along the Don Valley corridor, linking Rotherham and Sheffield, with the potential to enable thousands of new homes and jobs.

Lord Blunkettsaid:

I am very pleased that as a consequence of the White Rose Agreement, signed last March, and the Rail Plan for Yorkshire - which I was pleased to chair - an essential first step is now to be taken to recognise the critical importance of the cities and towns east of the Pennines.

It is essential that following the initial investment, the Spending Review in 2028 accelerates the development of a rail system to be proud of, and the connectivity of cities across the North to unlock the talent and the growth fundamental to future success.

Yorkshire, with a population greater than Scotland, has long been neglected and this announcement starts the process of putting right years of neglect.

The NPR plansbuildon the £11 billionTranspennineroute upgrade, between York and Manchester, via Leeds and Huddersfield, which is already delivering more efficient journeys for people across the north.

A funding cap of £45 billion will be set for theprogramme,including£1.1 billion over the Spending Review periodallocatedfrom existing budgets first. Learning lessons from HS2, the government will work closely with local partners to ensure planning processes are carried outefficiently,and approvals are streamlined to reduce delays and prevent projects from going over budget.

The city regions of the North have huge untapped economic potential. Leeds and West Yorkshire are emerging as the 'Northern square mile' for financial services, while Sheffield and South Yorkshire are at the cutting edge on defenceand advanced manufacturing, York's thriving and dynamic cultural and visitor economy, and Newcastle's growing research and innovation sector.

The government is working with mayors, other local leaders, and businesses to announce a wider plan this spring for taking advantage of these strengths, firing up productivity and prosperity across the North.

This plan brings in existing work to unlock immediate benefits for residents, including work to help fill local skills gaps across the country, and will build on this with further policies to improve connectivity,revitalisecities and towns, support people with the skills to access new opportunities, and support businesses to innovate and grow.

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