New Liverpool-Manchester railway proposal aims to deliver £90bn boost to North West

A brand-new railway line linking Liverpool and Manchester could be the catalyst for a £90 billion economic boost across the North West — while also offering a bold new blueprint for how major infrastructure is delivered in the UK.

Announced today by regional leaders including Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, the plans propose a high-speed line that connects Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Piccadilly, with stops at a newly proposed Liverpool Gateway, Warrington Bank Quay, and Manchester Airport. The project aims to dramatically cut journey times, improve capacity, and connect over half a million more people to both city centres in under 30 minutes.

The line would be a key part of the emerging Northern Arc — an economic corridor stretching from the Mersey to the Pennines. New analysis suggests the corridor could double the size of the regional economy and add £90bn to the UK’s GVA by 2040.

A report released today outlines a delivery model that would be led locally, developed in partnership with government, and backed by private investment — designed to avoid the delays and spiralling costs seen in previous large-scale projects. If approved, construction could begin in the early 2030s, maintaining the skilled workforce developed for HS2 and helping secure long-term regeneration.

The railway would also anchor five growth zones around each station, supporting the development of up to 500,000 new homes and thousands of jobs across the route.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:

“Two centuries ago, the Liverpool-Manchester Railway changed the world – kickstarting the railway age and powering a revolution in trade, travel and opportunity. Today, we have the chance to do it again. Our new line forms part of a wider vision to unlock £90bn of economic growth, and 500,000 new homes – the kind of transformation our region, and our country, desperately needs.

“There’s hardly a person in the North who hasn’t felt the frustration of slow, unreliable journeys or missed out on things because of creaking, outdated infrastructure. For them, this is far more than just building a new railway – it’s about opening the doors to opportunity. Connecting people to better jobs, unlocking new homes, and making it easier to enjoy everything our region has to offer – from concerts and football to family and friends.

“We’re putting forward a serious, deliverable plan that does things differently – developing plans at a regional level instead of a top-down approach. Not cap in hand, but shoulder to shoulder with government. We’re offering a new way of doing things: faster, fairer, and better value. With the right backing, we can get spades in the ground in the early 2030s and deliver the world-class railway we deserve.”

Huw Merriman, Chair of the Liverpool-Manchester Railway Partnership Board, said:

“The government must invest in infrastructure to achieve its number one priority of growing the UK economy. With years of concentration in the south, there needs to be a fair balance of where that’s targeted and the time is ripe to rebalance the nation. The North West is growing and will grow faster with transport infrastructure connecting people to new homes, jobs and skills to equip them for life.

“The Liverpool-Manchester Railway is a credible and convincing project that will make the areas benefitting from the line and around the stations a highly-desirable place to live, invest and do business. Certainty on its delivery will be critical for both the North West’s and UK’s growth trajectory.

“Lessons must be learnt from past projects, including HS2, and a new locally-led model will be proof of devolution in action. The North West is unique in that we have mayors, civic and business leaders standing shoulder-to-shoulder ready to make this railway happen. Working together with government they can tackle the challenges that have come with such infrastructure delivery in the past.”

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