Mayors of Manchester and Liverpool Push for New Railway Link

The mayors of Manchester and Liverpool unveiled a 17 billion pound plan for a new railway between the cities, urging the Labour government to boost investment. This new railway would alleviate bottlenecks on existing lines and be funded by reallocating resources from the canceled HS2 project. The mayors claim this line could significantly enhance economic output.

The mayors of Manchester and Liverpool on Monday unveiled ambitious plans for a new 17 billion pound ($23 billion) railway connecting the two northern English cities. The reveal, set against the backdrop of the Labour Party's annual conference in Liverpool, ramps up pressure on the government to fulfill investment commitments.

Existing rail connections between Manchester and Liverpool, England's third- and fifth-largest metropolitan areas, suffer from severe congestion due to outdated Victorian-era infrastructure. The new route would be funded using resources from the recently canceled Birmingham to Manchester leg of the HS2 high-speed railway project.

This initiative highlights a growing trend of regional leadership pursuing greater autonomy and local influence over infrastructure projects. While Transport Secretary Louise Haigh acknowledged the project's importance, she noted that there is no dedicated fund from HS2 that could be repurposed.

According to the prospectus, the new railway could boost the Manchester-Liverpool economy by approximately 7 billion pounds annually, enhancing regional mobility and economic integration. Liverpool city region mayor Steve Rotherham emphasized the potential for increased economic coherence across the northwest.

(With inputs from agencies.)