The announcement, made today (14 January) by transport secretary Heidi Alexander, also included a “long-term objective” for a new North-South line from Birmingham to Manchester, which could offer a way to maximise the benefits of HS2.
Stopping via new stations at Manchester Airport and Warrington, the new Liverpool-Manchester line will form the second phase of the £45bn Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) vision, with delivery planned to start in the 2030s.
“This new era of investment will reignite the economy across Liverpool and Manchester, helping their iconic sport and cultural industries to thrive, and cementing Manchester Airport as the gateway to the North,” Alexander said.
“This exciting new line will not only speed up journeys; it will open up new jobs and homes for people, making a real difference to millions of lives.”
A government announcement did not specify target journey times for the new route, but it is hoped that it will speed up trips for commuters and holiday-goers. The current direct journey from Liverpool to Manchester Airport is one hour and 25 minutes, stopping 21 times over 29 miles – much slower than the 35-mile Reading to London Paddington journey, for example, which takes just 22 minutes.
Improvements to the busy Liverpool Lime Street and Liverpool Central stations are also being considered alongside the work. The wider scheme is part of a government drive to boost growth and living standards across the North, which it said could add up to £40bn a year to the UK economy by growing the productivity of the five largest cities to the national average.
NPR’s first phase will include upgrades across routes between Leeds, Bradford, York and Sheffield, in addition to the TransPennine route upgrade, which will cut journey times between York and Manchester, and Manchester and Leeds. The third phase will focus on improved connections between Manchester and Sheffield, and Manchester and Leeds, and explore options for Manchester to Bradford.
The programme will create new skilled jobs in planning, development, design and construction, the government said. Local colleges will receive £570m to expand their training facilities.
A funding cap of £45bn will be set, including £1.1bn over the current Spending Review period. The government pledged to learn lessons from HS2 by working closely with local partners to ensure planning processes are carried out efficiently and approvals are streamlined to reduce delays and prevent projects going over budget.
“To maximise NPR’s benefits and secure Britain’s future growth, the government is also setting out a long-term objective to see a full new North-South line from Birmingham to Manchester,” the announcement added.
“This will ensure sufficient capacity and better connectivity on the West Coast Main Line, but it won’t be a revival of HS2 Phase Two. Instead, the government will launch a feasibility study, working with local partners on what will be delivered, when and to what specifications.
“This will be an incremental programme, with improvements in the Northern growth corridor prioritised first, and land already purchased between the West Midlands and Crewe will be retained in the meantime.”
‘Crucial connectivity’
Rebeka Sellick, chair of the IMechE Railway Division, welcomed the announcement. “Investment in railways delivers wide-ranging benefits for rail passengers and the economy, and also for non-rail users by decongesting the roads of cars and HGVs, and reducing the environmental impact of transport. We welcome today’s announcement, knowing that it must be followed through with consistent government commitment at all levels, so railway engineers can create the best possible outputs,” she said.
The plans are a “significant declaration of intent” on rail investment in the North, said Railway Industry Association chief executive Darren Caplan. “Both rail suppliers and users will welcome any plans to improve connectivity between Leeds, Sheffield and Bradford, and options for electrifying those routes, as well as ambitions for a new line between Liverpool and Manchester via Warrington and Manchester Airport.”
The organisation was also “pleased” to see inclusion of the North-South railway that will link Birmingham to the NPR at Manchester. “We have always said that, to get the full benefits of HS2, you need to build the full scheme. Whatever the scheme is eventually called, bringing Manchester and Leeds back into play via both NPR and extension to HS2 is crucial to deliver the economic growth and connectivity the UK needs in the years ahead,” Caplan said.
“RIA and our members now ask to see detailed plans, timescales and committed budgets to all three phases of the government’s plans, in order to ensure that this statement of intent announced today becomes a reality well within its 2040s deadline.”
The Birmingham to Manchester link will be “essential” to ensuring investment in HS2 Phase One is not wasted, according to the High Speed Rail Group, which includes prominent industry members such as Hitachi Rail, Siemens, Arup and Alstom.
“The industry is concerned, though, that the timescales for delivering this new line appear uncertain and potentially some decades away. We are also concerned that the government does not intend to extend the land purchase powers between Birmingham and Crewe, which expire next month. It makes more sense to retain these legal powers while the government develops a clear, costed plan for connections north beyond HS2,” a spokesperson said.
“Nonetheless, today is a step forward in recognising that the previous plan did not work. We look forward to working with the government to develop the plan for an affordable new line from Birmingham to Manchester, which is key to unlocking economic growth in the North of England.”
The Institution of Civil Engineers called the NPR announcement “hugely welcome and long overdue”, but warned the government needs to learn lessons from HS2. “The purpose of the project must be clear, who is in charge must be clear, the right capability and understanding must be present in government departments, and the project must be sufficiently developed before ground is broken,” said director of policy and external affairs Sam Gould.
“If the government’s vision for the North is realised, it could be transformative not just for Leeds, Manchester and the other great Northern cities, but for the whole UK.”
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Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.