Transpennine Route Upgrade progresses during Huddersfield rail closure

The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is currently undergoing a 16-day railway closure in the Huddersfield area, with works scheduled to continue until Sunday, 4 October. The multi-billion-pound programme aims to improve reliability, increase capacity, and enable faster, more frequent services between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds, and York through electrification and digital signalling.

Recent progress includes track and drainage renewals, the restoration of Huddersfield station’s historic roof canopy, and subway extensions to improve accessibility. At Deighton station, teams have performed platform extensions and are installing a new footbridge with lifts for step-free access. Upcoming works before the line reopens on 5 October include the installation of two new lines of track to allow direct services to overtake stopping services, as well as overhead line equipment to support future electrified trains.

A Network Rail study indicates the TRU is driving significant local regeneration. Planning applications within 1.5 miles of Huddersfield station have increased by 33% since funding was confirmed in 2020. The programme is estimated to generate £1.9 billion in GVA, create nearly 5,000 full-time equivalent jobs, and support approximately 1,200 new homes.