Manchester and Liverpool could get £20 billion to build new rail link between cities, says Andy Burnham
manchestereveningnews.co.ukAs much as £20bn could be available to fund a "modern railway for the 21st century" between Liverpool and Manchester using the money saved from scrapping the Northern leg of HS2, mayor Andy Burnham has suggested.
The Greater Manchester mayor said he was hopeful after meeting with Rail Minister Huw Merriman that the region's leaders could "salvage something" from the decision by Rishi Sunak to cancel the Manchester and Crewe section of the high speed line. Read more: 'Huge victory' as railway ticket offices to remain open after mayors threaten legal action Mr Merriman met with Mr Burnham, Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotheram and officials from Manchester Airport in what the mayor described as an "open and honest discussion" about improving rail links across the North West.
The Government's controversial 'Network North' document promised that with the £36bn saved from HS2, some £12bn would be spent "to better connect Manchester to Liverpool".
It adds: "This would allow the delivery of Northern Powerhouse Rail as previously planned, including high-speed lines. But we will work with local leaders to agree whether they wish to suggest other uses of this money to achieve the objectives with that £12 billion." Mr Burnham told a press conference in response to the Government's U-turn on railway ticket office closures on Tuesday [October 31] that it would in fact be £16bn of government money for the project.
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