Government pledges to extend Metrolink line to Manchester Airport... where it already exists

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

The Government has pledged to extend the Metrolink line to Manchester Airport - where it has already existed for almost nine years.

Following the news of the second leg of HS2 being scrapped on Wednesday (October 4) the government has instead announced the launch of 'Network North', with investments dubbed to improve transport and connectivity across the north of England.

In the north west, it was announced that almost £4bn in cash would be found to 'improve connectivity', including a scheme to extend the Manchester Metrolink lines to Heywood, Bolton and Wigan. READ MORE 'You can't have both': The surreal moment Rishi Sunak cancelled HS2 to Manchester READ MORE HS2 Manchester link cancelled by Rishi Sunak - updates and reaction However, the government also announced that the Metrolink would be extended to Manchester Airport as a trade-off for the scrapping of HS2 - despite the fact the line already exists and was opened in November 2014.

The announcement read: "Nearly £4 billion to improve connectivity, which could pay for schemes such as the extension of the Manchester Metrolink to Heywood, Bolton, Wigan and Manchester Airport and bus rapid transit corridors in Manchester." The north was also promised over £3bn in 'long term road resurfacing' to fix potholes and more than £500 million towards two major road schemes around Manchester, including a new link road between the M62 and the M60.