Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, has pledged to invest £2.15bn to bolster “Victorian-era” transport services in the North of England.
The funds include a £1.7bn boost for local buses, roads and trams in the North this year, alongside a further £415m to reboot railways across the Pennines, a £270m investment in bus services and £330m in road maintenance across the North.
According to Labour, the key rail line between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York has been “plagued by disruptions and delays” for years. The route will now be supported with £415m in funding from government to restore its failing services.
The route was run by FirstGroup’s TransPennine Express until May 2023 but faced significant criticism for being among the least punctual train operators. It was then taken over by the government’s operator of last resort, which was set up to take control of failing rail franchises if needed.
Some of the new funds announced will also go towards a mass transit system for West Yorkshire...