Back the Bid - Transforming Trans-pennine Rail
Transforming Trans-Pennine Rail
Welcome to the homepage for Insider's Back the Bid campaign. We believe that improving the rail links between Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield, the first and most integral element of Network Rail's £530m Northern Hub proposal, is crucial for the continued economic prosperity of the North. It will be a major improvement for passengers while bringing a raft of economic benefits to the region. We are gathering support from businesses and public sector leaders for this vital improvement and will be lobbying the coalition government ahead of its rail spending review in 2012. You can support the cause by backing the bid and helping to make the North West and Yorkshire better connected and more prosperous regions to do business.
The Northern Hub
Network Rail's CGI video highlights the improvements proposed in its Northern Hub project, including the critical trans-Pennine lines that would improve journey times and create more capacity between the major northern cities.
Supporters of Back the Bid
Mike Highley
Owner - Devise Ltd Halifax
"Improved rail links would change my business and who I am able to do business with"
Gary Styles
Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets
"I have a portfolio of customers across the NE and NW of England. The ability to guarantee timely arrival in Mcr or Leeds via the M62 is too uncertain"
"Improving connectivity with head office would reduce the need to depend upon the M62"
Hessel F. de Boer
"This will help the Greater Manchester economy greatly and lead us in to the 21st century like the rest of Europe in rail travel"
"We have offices in Leeds and Manchester. Our people nearly all travel by car, but a significant proportion would move to train if the service was quick and reliable"
Mark Rawstron
Regional senior director at GVA
"With the debate abut fuel capacity in the world system, economies will have ti look at more efficient ways of transporting goods and people."
Steven Fraser
Managing director of operations at United Utilities
"Good rail infrastructure links are essential for any economy so investment of this nature would be great news for the North West."
Andrew Harrison
Managing director of Manchester Airport
"Improved rail access is a crucial part of our strategy and will enable us to offer new long-haul air services."
Tim Hale
Vice-chairman Sheffield chamber's transport forum
"It will be another piece in the economic jigsaw for the region to ensure sustainable growth."
Gary Williamson
Chief executive of Leeds, York and North Yorkshire chamber
"Overcrowding is an issue on many northern rail routes, particularly during peak hours, so the increased capacity and additional services will be welcomed by businesses and commuters."
John Mothersole
Chief executive of Sheffield City Council
"Improving the numbers of trains each hour and reducing the journey time to the centre of Manchester and Manchester airport is vital to improving the economic competitiveness of the Sheffield City Region."
Sir Howard Bernstein
Chief executive of Manchester City Council
"Improving the trans-Pennine link and tackling the bottleneck in the rail network around Manchester would enable our economy to be more competitive and have environmental benefits."
Tom Riordan
Chief executive of Leeds City Council
"Just think what impact it would have if you could get to Manchester in half an hour."
Graham Botham
Network Rail's programme sponsor
"This is the next big thing. It's time to invest in rail across the north rather than down either side of it."
Steve Wainwright
Founder of Profiled.com
"You can't get here (Leeds). If you could ship people into this city it would be much more successful."
Andrew Cope
Chairman of Zenith Provecta
"All the talent gets sucked down to London. Why? Probably because Manchester and Leeds are not connected enough."
Kevin Parkin
"We need to ensure that international visitors to the region can efficiently transfer from Manchester Airport to Yorkshire"
John Dunshea
director at BNP Paribas Real Estate
"I could not agree more wholeheartedly with the bid to improve the rail link between northern cities. It is fundamental."
Richard Kendall
Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce
"Naturally we would like this to come to Hull to make it a half-hourly service, to alleviate some of the congestion on the M62"
Iain Bennett
"When signalling problems in Leeds leave cancellations and delays between Manchester and Liverpool, there is clearly a lack of network"
Photo Gallery
The Northern Hub 2011
Network Rail's Northern Hub plan across the north.
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