UK announces £1bn investment in first mainline battery-electric trains

The UK government has announced a £1 billion investment to build 29 battery-electric trains for TransPennine Express, marking the first time such trains will operate on long-distance mainline services in Britain. The new Adessia Stream fleet is scheduled to begin construction in 2028, with the first trains expected to enter passenger service from the end of 2034. The investment aims to cut journey times by up to 10 minutes between Manchester and Leeds and up to 14 minutes between Manchester and York. It is also intended to support a 30% increase in capacity across the Pennines by the early to mid-2030s, adding thousands of daily seats. The trains will run on routes connecting Liverpool Lime Street and Scarborough, Manchester Airport and Saltburn, and Manchester Piccadilly and Hull. Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated the project represents a significant step for rail travel in the North. "These 29 new trains will bring faster, more reliable journeys to the North, and thousands of British jobs for the next generation," he said.