'Billions of pounds' to be spent on new Manchester to Liverpool railway line
Plans to build a new railway line between Manchester and Liverpool look set to go ahead.
The government has committed to spending 'billions of pounds' on the project, according to reports. It comes after Andy Burnham urged the government to make a commitment towards the new train line when it announces its long-term spending plans next week.
The Manchester Evening News and Liverpool ECHO joined forces to back the project when the mayor pitched the plans last month.
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According to the Financial Times, Rachel Reeves has now signed off plans to spend 'billions of pounds' on the major transport project.
The newspaper reports that the plans will be funded through a £113bn investment in transport projects agreed by the Chancellor.
Under the plans, express train would run every 10 minutes between Manchester Piccadilly and Liverpool Lime Street with services calling at Warrington as well as the airports in each city.
Journey times would also be slashed to just over half an hour each way.
The proposal also include building an underground station at Piccadilly and a new transport interchange at Manchester Airport.
Presenting the plans to cabinet ministers and senior civil servants last month, Mr Burnham said he wants the government commit to the new railway line as part of its 10-year Infrastructure Strategy which the M.E.N. understands is expected to be published next week.
Mr Burnham, and his Liverpool City Region counterpart Steve Rotheram, said the plans could help add £90bn to the economy.
At the time, Mr Burnham said: "What we would ask the government to consider is not to give everything we need right now.
"It's simply to say that in the 2030s - hopefully starting in the early part of the 2030s - they will commit in the infrastructure strategy to a window when this railway will be built."
Ms Reeves will deliver her Spending Review, setting out the government's multi-year budget, in Parliament next Wednesday (June 11).
The M.E.N. understands the 10-year Infrastructure Strategy, which will include transport plans will then be published the following day.
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