Mayor Luke Campbell has welcomed a £1bn investment in new TransPennine Express trains serving Hull and East Yorkshire, as HEYCA continues work to strengthen passenger and freight connections, support
Mayor Luke Campbell MBE has welcomed a £1 billion investment in next-generation trains serving Hull and East Yorkshire after joining rail industry partners at Alstom's Derby works on Friday 11 September.
Twenty-nine new five-carriage Alstom Adessia Stream trains have been ordered for TransPennine Express services connecting Liverpool, Manchester and Manchester Airport with Leeds, Hull, York, Scarborough and Saltburn. The fleet is expected to enter passenger service in the early 2030s, with new train charging infrastructure planned at Hull Paragon.
The investment is part of a major programme across the North, rather than funding solely for Hull and East Yorkshire, but the inclusion of Hull on the operating routes and in the new infrastructure programme means the region will directly benefit from the new fleet.
A significant step for Hull and East Yorkshire
For Mayor Luke, the announcement is important not only because of the new trains themselves, but because it puts Hull and East Yorkshire firmly within a major Northern rail investment after a period in which residents and businesses have repeatedly raised concerns about the quality, reliability and speed of the region's connections.
The Mayor has consistently argued that better rail links are essential if Hull and East Yorkshire is to compete on equal terms with other parts of the North. Reliable connections to Leeds, Manchester and other major centres affect much more than individual journeys - they influence access to jobs, education and training, the ability of employers to recruit, and the attractiveness of the region to investors.
That matters particularly for an economy built around nationally significant strengths in ports and logistics, energy, advanced manufacturing, agri-food and emerging technologies. Those sectors depend on strong connections to customers, supply chains, workers and markets across the North, the UK and beyond.
Work already under way
The announcement comes after months of work by Mayor Luke and Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority to raise the region's passenger, freight and wider connectivity needs with Government, Northern leaders and the rail industry.
In April, Mayor Luke asked The Great North partnership of Northern Mayors and leaders to give dedicated consideration to east-west freight infrastructure, linking better freight connections and access to the Humber ports directly to wider Northern growth. In July, he took the wider case for stronger transport connections directly to the Prime Minister.
At the same time, HEYCA officers have been developing the evidence and partnerships behind the region's transport priorities. That work is looking at passenger and freight rail together, alongside the needs of ports, supply chains, major employers, strategic investment sites and the ability of residents to reach jobs and skills opportunities.
This work is intended to make sure Hull and East Yorkshire has a clear, evidence-based case when future investment decisions are made, while building the relationships needed with Government, Transport for the North, Great British Railways and the wider rail industry.
Luke Campbell MBE, Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire, said
"This is a good day for Hull and East Yorkshire. We've had some frustrating rail announcements in the past where our region has felt left behind, so seeing us firmly part of this £1 billion investment really matters.
"I've said since I became Mayor that Hull and East Yorkshire cannot keep being treated like the end of the line. I've been making our case to Government, other Northern Mayors and the rail industry, and the team at HEYCA has been doing the detailed work behind the scenes on passengers, freight, our ports, businesses and what better connections can unlock for growth.
"I've never been interested in talking for the sake of it. I'd rather get on with the job and show people progress. This is exactly the kind of progress we've been pushing for.
"These new trains will mean a much better passenger experience and a big step forward on accessibility. But for me this is bigger than the trains. Better links to Leeds, Manchester and the rest of the North mean more opportunities for our people, help businesses reach new markets and make Hull and East Yorkshire a stronger place to invest.
"This is a big first step, but it has to be the start, not the finish. We'll keep pushing for faster journeys, better reliability and the capacity our region needs to grow. People here should not have to accept weaker connections than other parts of the North. We're here to get things moving, and that's exactly what we'll keep doing."
What passengers can expect
The new trains are designed to improve the experience for passengers across the TransPennine Express network and help realise the benefits of the £11 billion Transpennine Route Upgrade, including more services and reduced journey times across one of the North's most important east-west rail corridors.
Accessibility is a major part of the design. The new fleet is expected to provide level access between platform and train at the vast majority of stations on the network, alongside a flat walking floor throughout the carriages.
Each train will have 300 seats, including three wheelchair spaces with companion seating, four toilets including two universally accessible toilets, dedicated accessible family space, four bicycle spaces, passenger information screens, Wi-Fi and power connections at every seat.
New train charging points are planned at Hull, Scarborough and Saltburn to support operation of the fleet across the full TransPennine Express network.
Rail as part of the region's wider growth plan
HEYCA's approach is to treat transport as economic infrastructure rather than as a standalone issue. Better connections can make it easier for people to reach work and training, for employers to access a wider workforce and for businesses to connect with customers and supply chains.
Hull and East Yorkshire's Local Growth Plan identifies 'Connecting and enabling growth' as one of four Big Plays for the next decade, alongside powering the region's industrial future, backing local business and building skills and good work.
The connection between those priorities is deliberate. A new investment site is more competitive if workers and suppliers can reach it. Skills investment has greater impact if residents can travel to the opportunities it creates. Ports and manufacturers are more productive when passenger and freight networks connect them efficiently to the wider economy.
HEYCA's Gameplan therefore includes work on both passenger and freight rail, alongside wider transport planning, business support, skills, investment and regeneration. The aim is to build a joined-up regional case rather than pursue individual transport schemes in isolation.
The next step, not the final one
The 29 trains will be manufactured by Alstom in Derby and operated by TransPennine Express under Great British Railways. Financing is being provided by Rock Rail through its Next Generation Rail Fund, co-managed with Aberdeen Investments.
HEYCA will continue working with Government, Transport for the North, Great British Railways, the rail industry and partners across the North to build on the announcement.
The Combined Authority's wider priorities include continuing to make the case for faster and more reliable journeys, sufficient capacity for future growth, stronger passenger connections and the freight infrastructure needed to support the Humber's ports, industries and supply chains.
For Mayor Luke, the message from Derby is therefore one of progress rather than completion: Hull and East Yorkshire is included in a significant Northern investment, but the work to secure the long-term connections needed by residents and businesses continues.