Background
Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) is a strategic rail investment programme to enhance connectivity in the North of England. Since 2014, successive governments have acknowledged the limitations of rail infrastructure in the north and planned to make improvements to support economic growth in the region through NPR. This has included the 2021 Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands and the 2023 Network North plan following the cancellation of HS2 Phase 2. Following its election in 2025, the government has committed to continuing the programme and is expected to set out its plans for NPR in due course.
Scope
This report will focus on how the Department for Transport (DfT) is setting up the programme for success. It will focus on:
- the progress DfT has made with NPR since 2014
- how DfT is planning to address key challenges on the programme
- how DfT is learning lessons from other major programmes relevant to NPR
NAO team
Director: Jonny Mood
Audit Manager: Martin Chong