MIPIM | Rail plan offers £7bn economic prize between North West cities
Having revealed plans for a new line connecting Liverpool and Manchester last year, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and his Liverpool City Region counterpart Steve Rotheram took the stage in Cannes to hammer home the impact the infrastructure project could have to assembled investors.
The line would run from Liverpool Lime Street, through Warrington and Manchester Airport and to Piccadilly before joining the proposed Northern Powerhouse rail line.
It would unlock various development opportunities, including the £2.5bn Liverpool Central regeneration scheme and the £550m Health Innovation Liverpool Campus on the site of the former Royal Liverpool Hospital, and create an innovation corridor, according to the mayors.
The overall aim is to bridge the economic gap between the two cities and bring it closer to that of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc.
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of Liverpool City Region, said the project is a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the North West into a global powerhouse for world-leading businesses”.
“In the Liverpool City Region, we’re already primed to lead the way in high-growth industries such as life sciences, advanced manufacturing and low-carbon technologies.
“The Northern Arc is about connecting [business] hubs with Greater Manchester and beyond. The Liverpool to Manchester railway presents us with a fantastic opportunity to do this. With Government backing, this strategic move will unlock new jobs, drive economic growth, and secure the North’s place at the forefront of the UK’s future prosperity.”
The Liverpool-Manchester Railway is the missing piece of the North’s transport infrastructure, the mayors said. Studies commissioned by the city regions show that the project would add £7bn GVA to the UK economy, support delivery of around 300,000 new homes over 20 years, help create more than 40,000 jobs by 2050, and reduce journey times.
As well as local and domestic economic growth, the rail line could pave the way for improved international trade links by connecting the Port of Liverpool and Manchester Airport, the mayors said.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “Our city-regions have their own growth stories and opportunities…but our combined pipelines – the Northern Arc – will create a powerful northern engine to fuel national growth, one greater than the sum of our parts.
“To achieve its full potential, we need a new Liverpool-Manchester railway – a crucial missing link that must be a priority for the UK’s infrastructure plan.”
Huw Merriman, chair of the Liverpool-Manchester Railway Partnership Board, which has been set up to drive the project forward and secure funding, said teh project could be the “backbone” of the region’s growth.
“Our objective is clear; to deliver a new railway which delivers faster, more reliable, and decarbonised journeys on a new corridor for jobs, homes, green energy production, skills and regeneration,” he said.
“If we deliver this then we can help further transform the region and, with it, the balance of the UK economy.”
South Lancashire, which basically this is, was always the economic counterbalance to London. In the 1950s, London’s and the North West’s economies , were almost equal in size. Now London’s is twice as big. This is mainly down to the devastating impact of de-industrialisation and LondonCentric governments of both colours, failing to provide the infrastructure for businesses to be attracted and thrive. Burnham and Rotherham, speak as if this is a done deal, there has been no confirmation from the Treasury, that this is currently anything other than what is in their imaginations.
By Elephant
It needs a redesign already to incorporate a stop at the New (Old) Trafford Stadium proposal!
By UnaPlanner
Liverpool can be a rail hub as well if the political will and vision is there, we have historic links with Wales but you can’t get a direct train to Cardiff, Holyhead, or we can’t go direct to Bristol or further South West direct anymore either.
Our links to Scotland should be far better as we still can’t get a direct train to Edinburgh, and the promised 2 trains per hour to London has still not materialised even though the new Hitachi trains are in service.
In the Liverpool City Region we have big towns like St. Helens ,and Southport, with no direct train to London, surely the hybrid 5 car Hitachi trains used now to Chester would suit the Southport line.
By Anonymous
Don’t forget
– Middlewich new rail station
– re activating northwich to sandbach line
– The western 3 mile rail link from mid cheshire line to manchester airport
– And finally electrification of mid cheshire line as its been in tier 1 now for 25 years
By Northwich
We are still paying the price of cancelling the PiccVic scheme in the economic cuts aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis! Metrolink and the Ordsall Chord have been expensive, ineffective sticking plasters that haven’t worked, in the same way that West Coast Route Modernisation was a “cheaper”, despite overrunning by billions and little faster, to pave the way for HS2, which is just the same.
Inter-city or inter-urban links aren’t the problem. Within towns and cities is where the congestion and pollution, which has a cost to economic growth, health, etc, but is constantly ignored, despite most journeys being less than 5 miles!!!!
The Treasury won’t approve public transport scheme unless it has a cost-benefit ratio of 2.0 or above, but any old road scheme gets approved, even when it has negative benefits for the taxpayer.
By Charles Ashbury
How much will it cost? How much will it decrease journey times? What would the frequency be? How much will it resolve capacity issues? Will it use the Castlefield corridor?
By Anonymous
Nearly there boys and girls – but still thirty years behind the curve! When Runway II was opened at Ringway I suggested that the Manchester Airport rail link should be extended to Warrington etc – the Manchester Airport rail link was pooh pooed when it was first promoted – “Why do you want to build a railway?? No-one comes to the airport by train” they asked. “Probably because there isnt a railway yet, we answered” and the rest is history. Using the old Broadheath / Lymm / Arpley / Halewood formation with a link to John Lennon airport which this proposal still omits, you link both cities and Warrington to three runways. Come on guys – grow a pair and see the big picture!
By Old and Cynical
The ambition is great coming from Northern Leaders! I just hope whatever is announced in the budget they adapt to. If this plan gets the green light (or at least the funding to develop a full business case) press on & get it built!
If it’s another “We’re committed to delivering transformational schemes in the north and will continue to work closely with Northern leaders to deliver on their ambitions” – that should be taken for what it is – a “Jam Tomorrow” brush of kicking it off into the long grass as happened with the Northern Hub (since quietly mothballed then cancelled)
If that’s the response they get, they need to pivot fast and develop something else. It’s pragmatic to stick with it for now as there’s industry & private sector support, but without serious, meaningful government backing, it may be time to change tack.
We’ll see what happens I guess, but again good luck to all involved!
By Anonymous
Bet they build the Piccadilly to Manc Airport first and then find there’s no money, then later HS2 will find some cash to build from Brum to Manc Airport and then it’s job done for Andy.
Meanwhile Steve ponders how he can add a few more stations to his local trainset.
By Anonymous
In Cannes? How very nice Andy
Value for the taxpayer and ever so green
Did you catch the train?
By Anonymous