Rail firm needs to replace hundreds of its diesel trains

Bosses don't know how much it will cost to hit 2040 target

- WILLIAM CORNISH & JOSEPH TIMAN

THE region's biggest rail operator will have to replace three-quarters of its trains to meet government targets, the M.E.N. can reveal.

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request has found that train operator, Northern, still uses 619 diesel-only trains all of which will have to be removed in the next 17 years - by 2040.

But there is uncertainty over whether Northern will achieve this target as the full costs of removing of all diesel trains have not been outlined yet and it is not clear how some routes will be electrified.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced plans for 'Network North, a series of transport projects which would be funded by the £36bn saved from cancelling the HS2 line to Manchester.