Greater Manchester leaders have hailed the government’s ambitious growth plan for the North, which includes a firm commitment to delivering Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR)—a project set to transform connectivity and drive economic growth across the region.
At the heart of NPR is a vision for faster commutes, better jobs, more homes, and increased investment. The new network will strengthen links between key destinations including Manchester, Manchester Airport, Liverpool, Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield, Huddersfield, Warrington, York, Newcastle, Chester, and North Wales. Crucially, Manchester stations will be integrated into the Bee Network, ensuring benefits are felt across the city region.
The Chancellor confirmed that £1.1 billion has been allocated during this Spending Review period to support NPR’s delivery, enabling planning, development, and design work to begin immediately.
One of the most significant elements of the plan is an entirely new line between Liverpool and Manchester, via Warrington and Manchester Airport. Scheduled for delivery in the 2030s as part of NPR’s second phase, work will start now on detailed project plans and the business case.
Underground Piccadilly: Unlocking Growth Potential
Greater Manchester and the government will also explore an underground solution at Manchester Piccadilly, which could act as a catalyst for regeneration and economic growth across the North. The preferred option would allow trains to run through the station, improving reliability and speed while future-proofing capacity for decades to come.
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.”
Leader of Manchester City Council, Cllr Bev Craig, added:
“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.”
Driving the Northern Growth Corridor
The new Liverpool-Manchester line will underpin the Northern Growth Corridor, a bold strategy to drive growth from the Mersey to the Pennines and beyond. This corridor could generate around £90 billion in additional GVA by 2040 from the North West section alone, with Manchester Airport acting as a key international gateway.
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.”
A Decade of Growth—and What’s Next
Greater Manchester has already established itself as the UK’s fastest-growing city region, with average annual growth of 3.1% since 2015. Looking ahead, the city-region is pioneering a new model of growth that could make its economy a third larger by 2035, adding £38 billion to its current £100 billion economy.
Image credits: Transport for Greater Manchester
