North left behind again as Andy Burnham brands new Manchester to Liverpool high-speed rail delay disappointing
Andy Burnham says rumoured delays to building a high-speed railway from Manchester to Liverpool is ‘disappointing’.
The mayor has championed a project to build a new railway line between the two cities, which would stop in Warrington and Manchester Airport, describing it as the ‘Elizabeth Line of the north west’.
It was thought the project would be the headline announcement in Keir Starmer’s speech to Labour Conference, held in Liverpool, next week.
But the scheme has been put on hold to review the budget and avoid spiralling costs seen with the HS2 line, according to BBC News on Wednesday (September 24).
Reacting to the development, Mr Burnham called the delay ‘disappointing’ and said he will continue campaigning for the line.
“The news today about the rail project we have worked on being put on hold, when we see projects ongoing in the south, I do not think that’s the plan we need,” he said on BBC Radio Manchester.
“We need to be prioritizing investment here in a place that’s growing stronger than anywhere else in the UK.
“We are the fastest growing city region in the country, but that means the infrastructure is creaking. The railways do not function properly. The motorways, you can lose a good chunk of your day on.
“This infrastructure is not in place to support the further growth of Greater Manchester, the growth we want to see.”
He added: “It’s disappointing. I do believe the transport secretary wants to help us to deliver our ambitions but I just would have to say it feels projects in the southern half of the country are greenlit but red-lighted here.”
Government sources told the PA news agency on Thursday they remain ‘fully committed to NPR’ (Northern Powerhouse Rail) and will ‘set out our plans in the coming weeks’.
Since launching the project in May 2024, the mayor has linked it to other major schemes to improve transport in the city.
They include an underground Manchester Piccadilly station originally envisaged for HS2 trains, and three tunnels underneath the city centre for trams and trains connecting up with an underground Piccadilly.