Government invests in northern digital railway plans to improve trans-Pennine

The UK government is developing plans for Britain’s first digital intercity railway in the north, as it invests US$17.5 billion (£13 billion) in improving journeys across the region. The UK government is developing plans for Britain’s first digital intercity railway in the north, as it invests US$17.5 billion (£13 billion) in improving journeys across the region.
September 25, 2017 Read time: 1 min

The UK government is developing plans for Britain’s first digital intercity railway in the north, as it invests US$17.5 billion (£13 billion) in improving journeys across the region.

As part of the Great North Rail Project, major upgrades are being developed for the TransPennine route between Manchester, Leeds and York from 2022 - to slash journey times between Leeds and Manchester to 40 minutes.

Digital signalling technology is already in operation on the London Underground and 5021 Network Rail will now develop options to make the TransPennine route the first digitally controlled intercity rail line in the country.

Network Rail will receive up to US$6.7 million (£5 million) to develop proposals for embedding digital technology between Manchester and York, including a system of advanced train traffic management – so that a computer works out how to route the trains most efficiently along the line.

Urban Traffic Control

Related Content

  • Is road user charging the first stop for congestion management?
    July 23, 2012
    David Hytch, Information Systems Director at the Greater Manchester Public Transport Executive, considers just where congestion pricing schemes should sit in transport planners' hierarchy of options for managing demand. On the face of it, Greater Manchester in England's proposed congestion charging scheme hit just about every sweet spot possible when it came to convincing the general public of the need for and benefits of such a venture. There was the promise from national government of almost £3bn-worth of
    Read More
  • Contactless payments introduced on London's buses
    December 14, 2012
    Bus passengers in London can now use their use their contactless debit, credit or charge card to touch in on the yellow Oyster card readers and pay the single Oyster fare on any of London's 8,500 buses. Introducing the scheme, Transport for London (TfL) says the new payment option will also be good news for the approximately 36,000 people per day who board a bus and find they have insufficient pay as you go balance on their Oyster to pay for their journey as they will be able to use the other card they may
    Read More
  • Bringing AI into ITS: Artificial realities
    May 21, 2025
    AI can have a positive transformative effect on transportation safety and efficiency – but if you want creativity you still need a person, says Huawei
    Read More
  • Chinese firm plans to develop disused railway for HS2
    January 15, 2014
    China Railway Group (CRG) has expressed interest in redeveloping a disused railway line in the UK and has invited local officials to visit Beijing to discuss the plans further. The Stonebridge Railway near Birmingham has been out of commission since the 1930s and the group plans to spend an estimated £280 million to bring it back into service. The proposals, hailed as a remarkable development by councillors, are expected to improve rail links to Birmingham airport and the wider UK Central area. The
    Read More

Highlighted Content