Andy Burnham has announced a £1 billion scheme to introduce 29 new battery-electric trains for TransPennine Express, which the mayor and government say will deliver faster and more reliable journeys across the North of England. Built by Alstom in Derby, the fleet is presented as a flagship example of Great British Railways' aims, and is expected to support over 350 local jobs and nearly 6,000 across the UK supply chain, while also being a symbolic step in the government's push for regional economic renewal.

The Adessia Stream fleet will be the UK's first battery-electric trains for long-distance main line services, cutting journey times by up to 10 minutes between Manchester and Leeds and up to 14 minutes between Manchester and York, while potentially boosting trans-Pennine capacity by 30% by the mid-2030s. Production is due to start in 2028, with services rolling out by the end of 2034 on routes including Liverpool to Scarborough, Manchester Airport to Saltburn, and Manchester Piccadilly to Hull. The trains, which run emission-free on non-electrified track and offer step-free access, wheelchair spaces and Wi-Fi, will be funded directly by government investment into Alstom, bought by Rock Rail and leased to TransPennine Express.