Metro Mayors are set to argue today that a proposed new rail line between Liverpool and Manchester could "balance up the economy of the country" and provide better economic growth than anywhere else in the 海角视频.
As part of a delegation travelling to Westminster, Mayors Steve Rotheram and Andy Burnham will urge the government to support plans for the construction of a new Liverpool-Manchester railway as part of wider proposals for a "Northern Arc."
The leaders of the Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester combined authorities will present a report to ministers today. The report outlines how the new line - stretching from Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Piccadilly - could deliver a 拢15bn boost to the economy. And it says Northerners could finally get the kind of rail service 'long-enjoyed by Londoners'
Mr Rotheram and Mr Burnham will request the government to honour proposals for 拢17bn allocated for the rail link last year.
There are hopes that construction on the line, which would include a new Liverpool gateway stop, could commence in the 2030s. This would significantly reduce journey times between the two cities to around 20 minutes.
After the previous Conservative government announced plans to scrap HS2, Mr Rotheram and Mr Burnham were invited to advise on the best solution for improved connectivity between the two cities as part of the Northern Powerhouse Rail scheme, which will continue in its place. Initial plans for the line were unveiled in 2024 as a commitment from both men as part of their Mayoral manifestos, reports .
Metro Mayors Steve Rotheram and Andy Burnham believe the project could be a key part of a larger investment zone stretching from the Mersey to the Pennines, dubbed the "Northern Arc."
Covering the Liverpool City Region, Cheshire, Warrington, and Greater Manchester, the North West section alone has a population of 5.4m and annual economic output of 拢150bn.
Currently, train journeys between Liverpool and Manchester take an average of 53 minutes, despite the cities being less than 40 miles apart. As of December 2024, there are only two trains per hour from Liverpool to Leeds, and one per hour to Manchester Airport.
The proposed new line would address these issues, as well as increasing capacity at Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly stations, which are currently struggling to cope with demand.
Three stops are proposed between the main hubs, including a potential new Liverpool city gateway, Warrington Bank Quay, and Manchester Airport. However, the exact location of the new Liverpool station is yet to be decided.
The report to the government also highlights the need to "completely transform" Liverpool Central station, which is already the busiest underground station outside London. Speaking to the ECHO, Mr Rotheram delivered a forceful message to the government about the untapped potential of the north, dubbed as the northern arc, paralleling the established Oxford and Cambridge arc.
"It could realise a greater potential income and economic growth than the counterpart down south. It will be around 拢90bn to the GVA (gross value added) of the country, and the government's number one mission is economic growth.
"You can get more economic growth here than you can in other parts of this country. We've already sort of been promised by a previous government, 拢17bn, 拢5bn of that was from the Northern Powerhouse Rail link and 拢12bn of it was from the HS2 to Manchester link, so that's a 拢17bn envelope, but of course, it depends on the route and we're yet to design the route alignment because that needs agreement with local authorities.
"Once that's completed and that is ongoing, we will know whether the 拢17bn is enough."
The Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor then highlighted the importance of governmental support for the plans he and Mr Burnham are advocating for, pointing out that it could significantly influence economic investment in the north.
He stated: "The Northern Arc will cost considerably less than some of that infrastructure that's being built so this is something that the government should do to balance up the economy of the country, but it's something that the people in the North, quite rightly deserve, because there's huge latent potential here."
