The
route
of
Northern
Powerhouse
Rail


is
set
to
include
Warrington
Bank
Quay
and
Manchester
Airport,
following
extensive
discussions
between
the
Department
for
Transport
and
local
leaders
in
the
north
west,
including
MPs.

The
DfT
said
it
was
announcing
the
‘next
steps’
for
NPR
between
Liverpool
and
Manchester,
and
that
the
Warrington-Manchester
Airport
route
is
now
the
‘primary
option’.

However,
it
is
not
yet
definite.
The
Government
said
it
will
‘continue
to
assess
alternatives
which
meet
the
objectives
of
Northern
Powerhouse
Rail,
in
line
with
standard
requirements
for
business
case
approvals’.

It
continued:
‘Any
scheme
must
be
affordable
and
demonstrate
value
for
money
for
the
taxpayer,
while
seeking
to
support
the
rail
capacity
needs
of
central
Manchester
and
deliver
faster
journey
times
and
better
connectivity
across
the
North.’

It
added
that
capacity
could
also
be
trebled
between
Liverpool
and
Leeds,
offering
2,100
extra
seats
an
hour
in
each
direction.

Transport
secretary
Mark
Harper
said:
‘Today
we
are
setting
out
the
next
steps
for
how
we
can
transform
east-west
rail
links
in
the
North,
helping
to
boost
economic
growth
between
key
Northern
cities
as
part
of
our
Network
North
plan.

‘I
thank
local
leaders
and
local
MPs for
sharing
their
views
and
facilitating
constructive
conversations.
I
have
heard
a
clear
consensus
which
means
we
can
now
take
another
crucial
step
towards
delivering
Northern
Powerhouse
Rail,
part
of
this
Government’s
plan
to
boost
rail
capacity,
deliver
faster
journey
times
and
offer
better
connectivity
across
the
North.’