The TRU West Alliance, comprising Amey, Bam, and Arup, secured a substantial £800m contract as part of the ongoing Transpennine rail project.
- This project represents the largest contract by value awarded by Network Rail and encompasses significant infrastructural developments.
- Key initiatives include station upgrades, new track installations, and critical signalling and drainage improvements across the Huddersfield to Leeds corridor.
- The project aims to enhance travel efficiency, reducing journey times and carbon emissions significantly through electrification.
- Despite financial setbacks, Bam continues its collaboration, underscoring a commitment to transformative rail infrastructure.
The TRU West Alliance, composed of Amey, Bam, and Arup, has embarked on a significant phase of the Transpennine rail upgrade, capturing an £800m portion of the ambitious £2bn project. This initiative targets improving train journeys between key northern cities such as Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds, and York, marking it as the largest contract by value apportioned by Network Rail.
Ambitious infrastructure enhancements are central to this contract, including upgrades to six stations within the Huddersfield-Leeds stretch, construction of nine bridges, and the notable addition of a viaduct. Specific to Huddersfield, advancements include a new railway siding and extensive signalling operations across a 28-mile segment of the route, with two extra tracks being introduced between Huddersfield and Ravensthorpe.
Other essential developments involve the installation of overhead-line equipment and significant drainage works, described as ‘significant’ by Bam, emphasizing the scale of geological intervention required. Earthworks constitute a major component of these improvements, pivotal for the seamless addition of new tracks and infrastructure resilience.
Targeted completion of this extensive project is anticipated by 2028, promising noteworthy reductions in travel times. It is projected that journey durations will decrease to approximately 63 minutes between Manchester and York and about 42 minutes between Manchester and Leeds, thereby enhancing travel efficiency immensely.
The electrification of this route is poised to deliver environmental benefits, aiming to cut carbon emissions by up to 87,000 tonnes annually. Furthermore, the programme includes ambitions to reroute more freight from road to rail, alleviating congestion and reducing lorry numbers by an estimated 1,000 per day.
Despite reporting a £31.4m loss in the previous financial cycle, attributed to high inflation and supply chain disruptions, Bam persists in its role, driven by a longstanding partnership within the alliance. This perseverance signifies a robust commitment to modernising the North of England’s rail infrastructure.
Amey continues to bolster its portfolio, capitalising on this opportunity as it progresses in electrification and associated rail services in England. Andy Milner, Amey’s chief executive, highlighted previous successful electrification ventures, reflecting the company’s growing influence in the sector. Similarly, Bam’s rail director, Nissar Mohammed, acknowledged the project as a continuation of over seven years of fruitful collaboration with their alliance counterparts.
Network Rail’s comprehensive £2bn Transpennine upgrade spanning 70 miles and encompassing 23 stations, aims beyond immediate infrastructural gains, seeking broader socioeconomic advantages through enhanced connectivity and sustainability practices. TRU West managing director Pete Sollitt remarked on the contract’s significance, reinforcing the alliance’s commitment to fulfilling the substantial responsibilities involved.
The Transpennine rail project epitomises a crucial step towards enhanced northern connectivity and sustainability.
