It's time to build railways that will allow the North to thrive

Many of our services warrant national shame, often making the headlines for all the wrong reasons and regularly ridiculed on social media. And while we often laugh along, that laughter comes at a price for us personally and our regional economy. 

We collectively groan at the frequent delays, relentless cancellations, congested trains and fragmented services. And despair at the serious implications these failures have on the prosperity of our region. 

But the government’s recent Northern Powerhouse Rail announcement is a glimmer of light at the end of a long tunnel. It is severely overdue and it won’t fix all our problems, but it offers hope that improvement is on the way. 

Earlier this month the Chancellor set out the government’s new Northern Growth Strategy, within which was a commitment of £45 billion for railway improvements across the North. It feels like those in power have finally recognised the plight of our rail system and it’s reassuring to see the plan include some of the key improvements trade unions have long campaigned for. The revival of the Leamside Line between County Durham and Gateshead being a great example. 

This development will significantly increase and improve connectivity for those living and working in the area. And by reopening a strategic rail corridor, it will also significantly increase the capacity of our railways to carry freight, offering access to new markets and new job opportunities. A tangible win for local residents and a strategic win for the economic growth of the region. 

And similar wins will be felt right across the north. 

We can expect to see the electrification and upgrade of many of our regional routes, new and modernised stations and a completely new line between Liverpool and Manchester. And we know from experience that if you open the lines, passengers will come. 

The partially reopened Northumberland Line’s outline business case predicted 704,000 passengers in 2025. In its first three months alone, it served 250,000 passengers. And that was with only half of the new stations open. 

So now it’s not if, but how. How can we ensure this investment is delivered in a way that ensures these opportunities are realised and the mistakes of previous projects like HS2 are avoided?

Firstly, the government must avoid falling into the Public Private Partnership trap, investment must flow to the new publicly owned Great British Rail. We know public investment ensures full government control over essential national infrastructure, allows for long-term societal benefits and strategic objectives to be prioritised and enhances transparency and accountability. And we know government financing comes at a lower cost to the taxpayer. Put simply, Public Private Partnership schemes offer bad value for money and must be avoided. 

And secondly, the rail and construction workforce must have a strong voice in how this investment is spent. The case for centring workers is rooted in both principle and practicality. The principle is that workers should have a say in the decisions and changes that are going to impact on their working lives. The practical reason is that the workforce is an unparalleled source of expertise, feedback and insight.

The North is a powerhouse, it’s time to build the railways that will enable us to realise it.