A number of Greater Manchester’s leaders have expressed satisfaction at the government’s plans for the delivery of Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR).
The plan, which amongst other improvements will see a new rail route constructed between Manchester and Liverpool, is set to strengthen connections between the aforementioned cities, alongside Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield, Huddersfield, Warrington, York, Newcastle, Chester and North Wales.
An artist’s rendition of a revamped Manchester Piccadilly Station
© Transport for Greater Manchester
Planned for delivery in the 2030s; the line will be supported by 1.1 billion GBP worth of funding from this current Spending Review period, which will in turn allow progress on planning, development and design work to begin.
Work is now set to begin to develop project plans and businesses cases in more thorough detail, with leaders from Greater Manchester stating they will work closely with the government to explore how an underground solution at Manchester Piccadilly could act as a catalyst and enabler for major regeneration and economic growth in Greater Manchester and across 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.
The new line will feature a key connection at Manchester Airport, enabling it to underpin the Northern Growth Corridor – a strategy aiming to drive growth from Mersey to the Pennines and beyond to Yorkshire, Lancashire, North Wales and beyond.
Chris Woodroofe, Managing Director of Manchester Airport, said:, 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.