A key component of the Government's Northern Powerhouse initiative got back on track today as it was announced that work on the electrification of the TransPennine Express railway is to restart.
Halted back in June, Network Rail Chair Sir Peter Hendy said the "temporary pause" had "given us the space to develop a better plan." The decision has been signed off by Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin.
The result will be six "fast or semi-fast trains" per hour between Manchester, Leeds and York, reducing journey times by up to 15 minutes.
The Manchester to York section of the work is due for completion by 2022.
Sir Peter said: “We face some difficult challenges, and there is more work still to do, but the secretary of state's decision means we can now move forward with our plans to electrify TransPennine and Midland Mainline.”
Undoubtedly good news for the North, although perhaps we could’ve done without the three months of uncertainty.