Former Rail Minister to chair Liverpool-Manchester Railway Partnership Board

Former Rail Minister and Chair of the Transport Select Committee, Huw Merriman, has been appointed to lead the body tasked with supporting a new railway between Liverpool, Manchester Airport and Manchester Piccadilly.

The former Conservative MP will lead the Liverpool-Manchester Railway Partnership Board and help deliver the business case to see the project delivered in the most ambitious form possible, working alongside the Liverpool-Manchester Railway Board to provide private sector expertise. A new report from the Railway Board has revealed that the scheme could add an additional £7 billion a year to the local economy, support 40,000 additional jobs and delivery of 300,000 new homes.

Current preferred options for the new railway include a significant investment in city-centre stations in Liverpool, as well as an underground station at Manchester Piccadilly where trains could in the future continue on to Northern cities East of the Pennines. The new high-speed line would also run through new stations at Warrington Bank Quay and Manchester Airport.

The Railway Board is chaired by Mayors Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram, with the leaders of Manchester City Council, Cllr Bev Craig, and Liverpool City Council, Cllr Liam Robinson, serving as vice-chairs. It also involves other local authorities along the route, as well as the Port of Liverpool, Manchester Airports Group, and other stakeholder organisations. The Partnership Board, meanwhile, will be made up of private sector and industry leaders from engineering and multi-disciplinary consultancies, land and real estate companies, and sectors like urban design, finance and education, among others.

Huw Merriman, Chair of the Liverpool-Manchester Railway Partnership Board, said:

“I’m delighted to take up this new role chairing the Liverpool-Manchester Railway Partnership Board. Working with a team of business leaders and industry specialists, we will help the Mayors and regional leaders deliver a business case which maximises the economic and social opportunities. In addition to improving transport connectivity, this new railway can act as a catalyst for new jobs, homes and growth for the wider region and nation.

“I have been an advocate for a new Liverpool-Manchester railway from my time as Rail Minister and, before this, when chairing the House of Commons Transport Select Committee. Throughout this time, the vision and ambition of the region, led by the Mayors, has been clear and has driven the project to its next stage of development. I’m looking forward to working with the Mayors and the Railway Board to get this new railway, and the opportunities it will bring, delivered.”

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said:

“The original Liverpool-Manchester Railway helped make the North West of England the centre of the industrial world. On its 200^th anniversary we’re ready to lead the way again – showing that another way is possible, pioneering a place-based, bottom-up approach to delivering infrastructure.

“Growth will only come through investment and there is a clear and compelling case for a new line. The right scheme would be transformational for the North’s economy, linking employment sites and Investment Zones, and help us make a significant contribution to national growth.

“The Partnership Board will play a key role in that. We’re grateful to Huw for agreeing to share his considerable expertise by chairing the Partnership Board, ensuring this project moves forward with cross-party input, and we look forward to working with him to realise our ambition of a railway fit for the future.”