TfN calls for additional measures to maximise TRU freight benefits

Transport for the North (TfN) has submitted formal statutory advice to the UK Government outlining a series of additional infrastructure interventions it says are needed to fully realise the rail freight potential of the ongoing Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU).

image: Network Rail - TRU upgrade works at Ravensthorpe

TfN said it supports the UK Government’s commitment to the £11bn Transpennine Route Upgrade programme, which is intended to improve east–west rail connectivity across northern England, including increased capacity for freight services. The programme includes provision for 15 new daily freight paths between Manchester and Ravensthorpe in West Yorkshire as part of the core corridor.

However, in the advice sent to the Secretary of State for Transport, TfN said that the current scope of investment will not be sufficient on its own to deliver robust and resilient freight services connecting the North’s ports and inland terminals. It argued that without further targeted work beyond the core TRU infrastructure, the additional freight paths may not be fully usable in practice.

The advice sets out several specific priorities it says should be taken forward in the short to medium term, including:

• Gauge clearance improvements to support full‑size freight containers on routes linking ports to inland freight terminals;

• Completion of high‑gauge works between Northallerton and Eaglescliffe to better connect Teesport with the wider network;

• Expanded freight terminal capacity in the North West to ensure new freight services can be effectively handled; and

• Enhancements to rail passing loops and track capacity around Manchester to support freight traffic regulation and movement.

TfN described these interventions as relatively modest in cost compared with the overall TRU programme but said they could significantly boost the economic and environmental benefits of the larger investment by easing freight operations across the northern rail network.

The statutory advice highlights ongoing collaboration between TfN, government and the rail industry, noting progress on TRU delivery while emphasising the need for complementary works to ensure freight capacity improvements have the intended impact.

The Transpennine Route Upgrade itself forms part of wider plans to modernise the northern rail network, including electrification, signalling upgrades, and increased passenger services between Manchester, Leeds and York.