The government has committed to building a new railway line connecting Birmingham and Manchester, in a move aimed at revolutionising travel across the Midlands and the North of England.
A Pledge Without a Timeline
While the Treasury confirmed the ambition for the new line, it pointedly declined to provide any timescale for its construction. Crucially, officials stated the project would not be a simple reinstatement of the scrapped HS2 extension between the two cities. The Conservative government, under former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, cancelled that leg of the high-speed line in 2023 as a cost-cutting measure.
No details on funding were released, but the government confirmed that land originally acquired for HS2 between the West Midlands and northern cities would be retained for this new development. The primary stated goal is to alleviate severe congestion on the existing West Coast Main Line, a critical but overburdened artery for both passenger and freight services.
Dependent on Northern Powerhouse Rail
In a significant condition, the Treasury clarified that the new Birmingham-Manchester link will not open until after the completion of Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR). Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hailed this broader scheme, designed to boost east-west connections across northern England, as a government priority, stating his administration was "rolling up its sleeves" to deliver it.
The NPR programme will be rolled out in three phases:
- Phase One (2030s): Focuses on upgrading existing lines between Sheffield and Leeds, Leeds and York, and Leeds and Bradford, requiring no major new land purchases.
- Phase Two: Involves a new route between Liverpool and Manchester via Manchester Airport and Warrington.
- Phase Three: Aims to create better connections eastwards from Manchester to Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield, and York.
The government has set a funding cap of £45 billion for NPR, with potential for local contributions to increase this sum. An initial £1.1 billion has been allocated for development and design work to create a detailed delivery plan.
Political Reactions and Wider NPR Plans
The announcement has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition. The Conservative Party accused the government of "watering down" NPR, with Shadow Rail Minister Jerome Mayhew claiming Labour had "no grip on costs" and was risking the project becoming "a permanent mirage."
Beyond the core NPR network, the plans include funding for a new station in Bradford and will extend regular services to Newcastle and Chester. Development work will also progress on reopening the historic Leamside Line in County Durham, a 21-mile route closed in 1964.
Sir Keir Starmer framed the overall investment as a break from past failures, asserting: "This cycle has to end. No more paying lip service to the potential of the North, but backing it to the hilt." The success of this vision, however, remains contingent on the timely and fully-funded delivery of the foundational Northern Powerhouse Rail project.
