An investment of £1bn has been confirmed to support the delivery of 29 new battery-electric trains that will serve northern communities and boost local workforces.

In an announcement today, the Government revealed that the cash injection will generate over 350 jobs at the Alstom factory in Derby, where the TransPennine Express trains are to be built.

The move is also expected to create roles for 40 apprentices and 40 students, as well as an additional 6,000 jobs across the UK supply chain, while producing roughly £360m for the economy.

Services will run between the following key locations in the north: Liverpool Lime Street and Scarborough, Manchester Airport and Saltburn, and Manchester Piccadilly and Hull.  

According to the Government, the new fleet is to reduce journey times between Manchester and Leeds by up to 10 minutes, and up to 14 minutes between Manchester and York.

Furthermore, the trains will enable ‘emission-free travel on non-electrified sections of the railway’. Benefits include quieter and smoother journeys for passengers, who can also expect enhanced accessibility features such as step-free boarding, dedicated wheelchair spaces, and buggy storage.

The trains are planned to enter service from winter 2034, with building scheduled to begin from 2028.

‘While the move supports hundreds of roles directly in Derby, further roles in manufacturing, engineering, digital systems and train technology will be available across Alstom’s wider British supply chain’, the statement reads.

Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, said: ‘I’ve lost count of the number of times someone has stopped me to tell me about the train that never came. And when that happens, it means missed shifts, missed appointments, and missed opportunities.

‘Today that starts to change. These 29 new trains will bring faster, more reliable journeys to the North, and thousands of British jobs for the next generation.’

Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, added: ‘Passengers will be able to wave goodbye to overcrowded, delayed diesel trains and step onboard faster electric trains which are fit for the future.’