---
title: Transpennine Route Upgrade (East)
url: "https://www.systra.com/uk/project/transpennine-route-upgrade-east/"
type: projects
date_published: 2023-06-27
date_modified: 2026-05-12
schema:
  @type: WebPage
language: en-GB
word_count: 1541
reading_time: 8 min
canonical: "https://www.systra.com/uk/project/transpennine-route-upgrade-east/"
featured_image: "https://www.systra.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2023/06/transpennine-route-upgrade-rail-colton-junction-and-church-fenton-f.jpg"
type-market:
  - Rail
project-market:
  - Rail
project-location:
  - Yorkshire
type-service:
  - Environmental Services
  - Infrastructure Engineering
---

# Transpennine Route Upgrade (East)

![Transpennine Route Upgrade rail Colton Junction and Church Fenton](https://www.systra.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2023/06/transpennine-route-upgrade-rail-colton-junction-and-church-fenton-f.jpg)

### The largest conventional rail project in the UK

**The Transpennine main line runs for 70 miles (113 km) across the North of England between York and Manchester. Passing through 23 stations, including the major cities of Leeds and Huddersfield, the line runs over 285 bridges and viaducts, 29 level crossings and 6 miles (10 km) of tunnels as it passes under the Pennine Hills West of Leeds. It is currently the largest conventional rail project in the UK.**

The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is a vital component of the UK Government’s
‘levelling up’ ambitions aiming to reduce the discrepancy between wealth and
opportunity in different parts of the UK. TRU aims to decrease journey times and
increase reliability, capacity and safety.

Improving connectivity to and between Northern towns and cities will boost the
regional economy, offer individuals employment opportunities and employers a
wider talent pool to draw upon, as well as transform the train passenger
experience by decreasing journey times and increasing reliability, capacity and
safety.

TRU East is the alliance (Network Rail, VolkerRail, Siemens, Murphy, SYSTRA) set
up to deliver the works between Leeds and York. Passing from feasibility to
option selection to design, the delivery of TRU East has been grouped into two
phases of work.

![Transpennine Route Upgrade](https://www.systra.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2023/06/ohl-catenary.jpg)

### Overcoming the design challenges

**The design challenge is significant due to the sheer number of civil structures, such as bridges and culverts: 120 on the TRU East section. Each of these must all be assessed to work out whether they can take the different loadings of heavier and faster trains, then necessary reinforcement or alterations are designed where required. **

SYSTRA is undertaking multiple design roles across the project: Principal
Designer; BIM management and coordination; survey management and topographical
surveys; design integration and coordination; design of overhead lines, track,
power supplies, highways, drainage, civil engineering, bridges, level crossings;
system safety; and human factors.

![Transpennine Route Upgrade](https://www.systra.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2023/06/ole-installation-768x1024.jpg)

**IMPROVING RIDEABILITY**

Enabling works for first phase of TRU East between York and Church Fenton began
in 2019. Masts for electrification were erected, under track crossings were
completed, ballast was cleaned and some track was realigned to improve
rideability.

Commissioning of this section is due in 2025.

#### Replacing level crossings and improving safety

One of the most important safety improvements that the TRU will deliver is the
replacement of level crossings with road bridges and footbridges. Level
crossings are the most dangerous elements of the line, so removing them will
reduce the risk of incidents. In planning and designing the new bridges, it will
be vital to liaise closely with local residents and other stakeholders to make
sure that issues such as access and location are optimised and understood. For
instance, Diversity Impact Assessments ensure that ramps are included alongside
steps where needed.

#### Improve train timetable for Leeds Station’s 20m annual passengers

Our work included a timetable assessment of ‘utilisation of points’ and the
associated impact on the reliability of train services at Leeds Station, used by
almost 20 million passengers a year and one of the busiest stations in the whole
of the UK. We concluded that additional tracks were required at Leeds Station
West End and that the operational layout for Leeds Station East End should be
changed to best suit the railway configuration further east. This would minimise
disruption and conflict between services and rolling stock access.

### A collaborative ethos generating ideas and trust

**SYSTRA is physically co-located with our Alliance partners to enable a ‘one team’ approach and where remote working has been necessary, or where input from specialists from the wider SYSTRA business is needed, the team has a tranche of digital tools, chosen to help preserve the collaborative ethos. **

This allows for flexibility and agility, which is necessary because scopes and
outcomes for the programme have and will change over time due to political and
other considerations. For instance we were called on to undertake a study to
assess the use of European Train Control System (ETCS) in-cab signalling which
would remove line-side signals and allow safer and higher capacity operation.

#### Adopting lean principles to increase efficiency

The delivery strategy has included the formation of a Value and Creations Team
to eliminate waste, and adopt lean principles in all areas of the Programme.
With the assistance of the Alliance members, the team have collated over 260
ideas to increase efficiency, reduce waste and ultimately save money across all
areas of the Project. Each idea is assessed and, if deemed suitable, developed
into a business case to gain funding for additional work streams and site
investigations.

![](https://www.systra.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/carbontracker-1024x815.png)

**A DIGITAL APPROACH**

TRU East is deploying some new in-house SYSTRA digital tools.

A carbon calculator, which allows material and product choices to be evaluated
on their carbon emissions as design is underway, is being used on this project
for the first time in the UK.

#### Rail Systems Integration

Our specialist teams have defined a systems approach to delivery of TRUe, from
the definition of a requirements framework through to efficient management of
verification and validation. The
[Systems Engineering](https://www.systra.com/uk/services/systems-approach/systems-engineering-integration/)
and
[Assurance](https://www.systra.com/uk/services/systems-approach/systems-assurance/)
team also lead the system integration and assurance activities, including system
safety and
[Human Factors](https://www.systra.com/uk/services/systems-approach/human-factors-ergonomics-in-transport/)
, inclusive of demonstrating compliance to regulations such as CSM-RA and RIR.

![systems-approach-1](https://www.systra.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2023/07/systems-approach-1-1024x645.jpg)

_services Systems Approach Read more sur Systems Approach_

#### Innovation: SafebyBIM identifying hazards

One of our team has been inspired to develop a useful safety tool SafebyBIM to
visually identify potential hazards. We have been piloting this new system which
uses a BIM model, making it easier to identify and eliminate hazards. The
development of the SafebyBIM system has been funded through SYSTRA’s SPARK
entrepreneur R&D programme.

![transpennine-route-upgrade-culvert-modern-methods-of-construction](https://www.systra.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2023/06/transpennine-route-upgrade-culvert-modern-methods-of-construction.png)

#### Modern methods of construction applied in the Transpennine Route Upgrade – NOC/23 Culvert Replacement project

As part of the TRU East alliance, we proposed a tunnelling solution that
minimised the impact on the existing line and reduced waste that would have been
generated with a typical top-down construction approach. Precast concrete
culvert units were pushed under the active line resulting in zero accidents and
increasing the net biodiversity on the project.

[Find out more](https://www.systra.com/uk/services/modern-methods-of-construction/)

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[JOIN OUR COMMUNITY](https://www.systra.com/uk/register/join-our-community/)

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