The electrification of the Church Fenton to York rail line is completed today (Tuesday).
It means passengers are “one step closer to faster, more frequent and reliable trains”, the Department for Transport says.
Faster trains will cut journey times between York and Leeds by ten minutes and Manchester and Leeds from 50 to 42 minutes, with up to six fast services an hour.
The electrification project is part of the £11 billion Government-funded Transpennine Route Upgrade.
This also includes signalling and station improvements.
Today’s upgrade will enable electric TransPennine Express (TPE) trains to run from Manchester Victoria to Stalybridge and Church Fenton to York – electrifying both ends of the route.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, became one of the first people to enjoy the new electrified line, travelling from Leeds to York.
She said: “Today is a moment of celebration for a project that will transform train travel for millions of passengers across the North. More reliable, efficient trains are now running on 25% of the full Transpennine route.
“We are delivering on our Plan for Change by upgrading rail links across the North – slashing journey times between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York.
“Electrification between Church Fenton and York was delivered on time and on budget, this government is investing in ambitious projects and seeing them through, delivering change in areas that desperately need it.
“This upgrade is about opportunity, not just by expanding and improving people’s travel options, but by creating more than 5,000 new jobs and supporting 6,500 new homes, kickstarting economic growth in the areas that need it most.”
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said: “For too long, public transport in York and North Yorkshire hasn’t worked well enough.
“That’s why the completion of the electrified line between Church Fenton and York is such a vital milestone, with a quarter of the route upgrade now complete.”