Government sets out update on Northern Powerhouse Rail plans

Listen to this article here

The next steps of development for Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) between Manchester and Liverpool have been announced by Government.

The announcement follows extensive engagement with regional leaders and local MPs, as well as the announcement of £12 billion funding reallocated to accelerate the project in the wake of the cancellation of HS2’s Northern leg.

Local leaders and MPs expressed support for Northern Powerhouse Rail to serve Warrington Bank Quay and Manchester Airport and for using broadly the previously proposed route between Liverpool and Manchester, and this will be the primary option for the future development of the route.

Further options will also be explored around the station design at Manchester?Piccadilly and the approach into Liverpool following conversations with local leaders. Previous plans for NPR and HS2 had ruled out an underground station at Manchester Piccadilly, but had been the preferred option locally for accommodating high-speed trains in the city.

Proposals also aim to unlock regeneration opportunities in Warrington, as well as in Bradford via delivery of a new station. Ensuring the NPR route links with Manchester Airport station will also help boost connectivity with the North’s main airport and reduce journey times from Liverpool by almost an hour, and from Leeds by more than 40 minutes. Capacity could also be trebled between Liverpool and Leeds, offering 2,100 extra seats per hour in each direction. 

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said:

“Today we are setting out the next steps for how we can transform east-west rail links in the North, helping to boost economic growth between key Northern cities as part of our Network North plan. 

“I thank local leaders and local MPs?for sharing their views and facilitating constructive conversations. I have heard a clear consensus which means we can now take another crucial step towards delivering Northern Powerhouse Rail, part of this Government’s plan to boost rail capacity, deliver faster journey times and offer better connectivity across the North.” 

Lord McLoughlin, Chair of Transport for the North, said:

“We welcome the progress of further engagement with Northern political and business leaders. It’s essential that any final route is place based and meets the ambitions of local leaders for their residents and businesses.

“Northern Powerhouse Rail is a key cornerstone to how we transform the North for generations to come. We look forward to working with the government to realise our shared ambition for a rail network that the people and businesses of the North truly deserve”.

Ken O’Toole, CEO of Manchester Airports Group, said:

“This is an important step forward on the journey towards unlocking the full potential of the Northern economy. 

“Better connecting the towns and cities of the North with each other, and with the world through Manchester Airport, rightly sits at the heart of plans to deliver transformational growth across the region. 

“Delivering Northern Powerhouse Rail will help maximise the contribution Manchester Airport makes to rebalancing the UK, helping attract up to 50 new long haul routes and increasing its annual economic impact to £16.2bn by 2050.

“We look forward to working with government and regional partners to drive this vision forward.”

Responding to the Government update, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham commented:

“Today’s Ministerial statement is a real breakthrough for Greater Manchester. We have long argued for an underground option at Manchester Piccadilly and finally the door has been opened to it.

“We are confident that it represents the best railway solution and also preserves precious land for wider economic regeneration, unlocking higher productivity for the region.

“The fact that Northern Powerhouse Rail connects two Investment Zones in Manchester and Liverpool city centres, in addition to connecting directly to Manchester Airport, is a real game changer. It creates a new incentive to deliver the infrastructure that maximises economic growth over the rest of this century and beyond. At last there is the prospect of the UK Government having a level of ambition for the North of England that matches ours.

“We are fast approaching the 200th anniversary of the original Liverpool to Manchester railway line, the first commuter line in the world. The most fitting way to mark it would be to build a railway which sets new standards for rail travel.

“Following the disappointment of the HS2 cancellation, we acknowledge the way the government is now working differently with Mayors and Leaders on a more place-based approach to building a railway.  We look forward to continuing to work in this way and we are pleased that they are open to considering new ways of funding, including a land value capture model.

“As welcome as this news is today, there is a missing piece in the railway jigsaw. This is between where HS2 ends north of Birmingham and the route of Northern Powerhouse Rail in Cheshire. We are not arguing for a return to HS2 but there does need to be an alternative if the UK is to have a modern railway network connecting East and West, and North and South.“