Work on the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) around Huddersfield has reached the halfway point of a 16-day railway closure, with Kirklees Council leaders visiting the station to review progress.
The closure is scheduled to continue until Sunday 4 October, with services expected to resume on Monday 5 October. The works form part of the multi-billion-pound programme to upgrade the railway between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York.
Track and station upgrades
During the first week of the closure, TRU teams completed track and drainage renewals in the Huddersfield area, along with work at Huddersfield and Deighton stations.
At Huddersfield station, the historic roof canopy is being restored and the subway extended to improve accessibility. Platform extensions and track layout changes are also planned to support more frequent services and increase seating capacity.
At Deighton, platform extension work has been carried out and a new footbridge with lifts is due to be installed to provide step-free access.
Before the railway reopens, teams are also scheduled to install two new lines of track and overhead line equipment. The additional track is intended to increase capacity and allow direct services to overtake stopping trains in the future, while the overhead equipment will support the introduction of electric trains.
James Richardson, managing director of TRU, said Huddersfield was “one of the most significant sites across the TRU footprint”. He added that the work would deliver a “once-in-a-generation transformation” and that the current closure would “pave the way for real benefits for passengers by early 2027”.
Regeneration impact
Network Rail said the upgrade of Huddersfield station was having a “transformational impact” on regeneration in the town. A study commissioned by Network Rail found that planning applications within 1.5 miles of the station had risen by nearly 33% since TRU funding was confirmed in 2020.
The programme is estimated to generate £1.9bn in gross value added, create nearly 5,000 full-time equivalent jobs and support almost 1,200 new homes.
Councillor John Hardie, Kirklees Council’s cabinet member for regeneration, transport and highways, said the investment would strengthen connections to towns and cities across northern England and create opportunities for “education, employment, and training” in Kirklees.
TRU work across the North includes electrification, digital signalling and station improvements. The programme says 25% of its route is now electrified, while new stations have been built at Mirfield and Morley.