Manchester and Liverpool are another step closer to launching a new railway line between the two North West cities, as the government has announced a major growth plan for the North and a commitment to delivering Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR). The Chancellor has announced that £1.1 billion has been committed over this Spending Review period to support the delivery of NPR, allowing progress on planning, development, and design work of the rail line to begin.
NPR is at the heart of plans to deliver faster commutes, better jobs, more homes and increased investment, strengthening connections between Manchester, Manchester Airport, Liverpool, Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield, Huddersfield, Warrington, York, Newcastle, Chester and North Wales. The new railway line will be complemented by electrification schemes between Leeds-Bradford and Leeds-Sheffield.
A new railway line connecting Liverpool and Manchester could reduce travel time from around 50 minutes to 30 minutes for a 40-mile journey.
What is the new Manchester-Liverpool railway line route?
The new line would run from Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Piccadilly, with stops at a new Liverpool Gateway station, Warrington Bank Quay and Manchester Airport. The entirely new line between Liverpool and Manchester will be delivered as part of the second NPR phase in the 2030s, and work will begin immediately to develop the project plans and business case in more detail.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has confirmed that careful design will ensure that the Manchester stations on the new line will be integrated into the Bee Network, so Greater Manchester can reap the benefits.
Underground plans for Manchester Piccadilly station
As part of the new Manchester-Liverpool railway line, Greater Manchester and the government will be working together to explore how an underground solution at Manchester Piccadilly would be a catalyst and enabler for major regeneration and economic growth in the region and across the North, by unlocking land for redevelopment.
The preferred underground option would see trains run through the station, providing better, more reliable and quicker services and connections to/from West Yorkshire and beyond. The option is also said to future-proof the station to accommodate growing passenger numbers for decades to come, keeping people connected to jobs, homes and opportunity and ensuring that the city region remains the growth capital of the UK.
“A modernised Manchester Piccadilly could become the Kings Cross of the North”
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “Finally, we have a government with an ambitious vision for the North, firm commitment to Northern Powerhouse Rail and an openness to an underground station in Manchester city centre. A modernised Manchester Piccadilly could become the Kings Cross of the North, acting as a catalyst for major growth in our city region and beyond.
“Over the past decade, we’ve become the UK’s fastest growing city region, but underinvestment in rail infrastructure has long acted as a brake on further growth. Today marks a significant step forward for Greater Manchester. We’ll now work at pace to prove the case for an underground station and work up detailed designs for the route between Liverpool and Manchester.”
“At long last, people across the North will finally feel the benefits.”
Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said:“This is a massive moment for Manchester, and Greater Manchester as a whole. We have campaigned long and hard for much-needed investment in rail in the city across the North better linking the great cities and towns of the North – to create and support jobs, regeneration and other opportunities for our people. The previous Government failed us. But today’s announcement is a serious commitment to that vision after years of frustration.
“For people in Manchester this will mean more reliable and more frequent – not just faster – services to Liverpool, Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield, Warrington and York. After many years of us making the case, for the first time a Government has recognised the potential benefits of an underground station and in the coming years we will work closely and constructively with Government to see that become a reality.
“At long last, people across the North will finally feel the benefits.”
A key connection at Manchester Airport: the North’s gateway to the rest of the world
Transport bosses say the new Liverpool-Manchester line would underpin the Northern Growth Corridor – a strategy to drive growth from the Mersey to the Pennines, stretching into Yorkshire, Lancashire, North Wales and beyond. As a result, generating around £90 billion in additional GVA by 2040 from the North West section of the Northern Arc alone – with a key connection at Manchester Airport, the North’s gateway to the rest of the world.
Chris Woodroofe, Managing Director of Manchester Airport, said: “This is a welcome and long overdue step towards the creation of a highly productive and internationally competitive Northern growth corridor. By placing Manchester Airport at the heart of a full Northern Powerhouse Rail Network, people and businesses across the region will have the direct access they deserve to the world.
“That will help high-value industries to thrive and attract investors and visitors to all parts of the North – maximising the region’s contribution to national growth. The project will deliver the public investment needed to turbo-charge MAG’s £1.3bn transformation of Manchester Airport. It will unlock the full capacity of Manchester’s existing two full-length runways – capacity that is available now.
“That is why we look forward to working with Government and regional partners on ways to deliver NPR at the earliest possible opportunity.”