James Richardson has been appointed as the new managing director of the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU). James, who is currently the Managing Director of the Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture for the HS2 London tunnels, brings extensive experience in major programmes. He expressed his enthusiasm for the role, stating: “Leading this ambitious infrastructure programme of national importance is a huge source of pride for me. It will benefit millions of people by improving the connectivity between towns and cities.
“TRU is making fantastic progress and already demonstrating how complex infrastructure can be delivered safely and efficiently.”
“I can’t wait to get started working with such talented teams and individuals in order to see that continue to develop.”
With a background in Skanska, James has held positions such as Infrastructure MD and Rail Sector Director. His experience spans the rail, road, and energy industries, including projects like HS1, M25DBFO, Crossrail, Northern Hub, Wessex Capacity Alliance, and Thameslink.
This summer, TRU awarded contracts worth around £3bn with the West and East alliances. Passengers are already benefiting from the first electric train service between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge. The programme, employing 5,000 people, is fully mobilised with 70 worksites across 70 miles from York to Manchester.
Rob McIntosh, Network Rail’s North West and Central Managing Director, welcomed James, saying: “Given the scale of our works - one of the biggest programmes in Europe and carried out on a live railway - I am really happy we’ve appointed a very capable leader who can manage our unique challenges and lead TRU to continued success.”
James will assume his role at TRU in the new year.
The £11bn Transpennine Route Upgrade integrates track, train, timetable, and delivery partners to create a reliable electric railway, supporting economic growth. It has invested £500m with local businesses and is recruiting sustainably, with 85% of the team living within 40 miles of the project.
TRU is halfway to its goal of awarding 600 apprenticeships and is progressing towards delivering 25,000 hours of community volunteering. The programme is also committed to engaging with over 100,000 young people through an inclusive education scheme.
By ensuring step-free access at stations, more services, and faster, cleaner, greener trains, TRU aims to remove up to 2,000 lorries a day from roads, increasing freight capacity.
Upon completion, TRU aims to halve the time lost to delays on fast trans-Pennine services, offering up to 15% quicker journeys between York and Manchester on more reliable electric trains. This is excellent news for passengers, communities, local economies, and the environment.
Image Credit: Network Rail
