WARRINGTON has given a warm welcome to the creation of a new Railway Board which is set to improve connectivity between Liverpool and Manchester.
Elected Mayors and council leaders from across the Liverpool to Manchester route including Liverpool City Region Mayor, Steve Rotheram, Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, Liverpool City Council Leader Liam Robinson, Manchester City Council Leader Bev Craig and Warrington Borough Council Leader, Cllr Hans Mundry, have officially launched the new Liverpool-Manchester Northern Powerhouse Railway Board.
Cllr Mundry will be playing a full part in representing Warrington on the railway board, which will drive forward the vision for improved rail connectivity between the two city-regions, following the scrapping, last year of the northern legs of HS2.
Warrington looks set to play a central role in the plans, with a new a low-level station at Warrington Bank Quay the primary option for the next stage of development for the route between Liverpool and Manchester.
The station would become the only hub station for the new Northern Powerhouse line, giving Warrington significantly more connectivity to Manchester Airport, Liverpool, Chester, North Wales, the wider North of England, and ultimately the West Coast Main Line via the existing ‘high level’ station.
For Warrington, it would mean:
• A transformational increase in rail capacity and services
• 4-6 trains per hour from Liverpool to Manchester Airport, via Warrington Bank Quay station
• Much quicker journeys – to Manchester Airport in eight minutes, Liverpool and Manchester Piccadilly in around 15 minutes, and Leeds in 45 minutes.
The plans would also present significant employment and regeneration opportunities around Bank Quay station, with the potential creation of 10,000 new jobs and 3,000 new homes over the next 30 years, 1.7m sqm of grade A office space and 10km of river trail and public realm enhancements.
Cllr Mundry, said: “We remain a strong supporter of Northern Powerhouse Rail. We see it as is a vital scheme to transform connectivity and capacity and reduce journey times from Warrington to and from all major towns and cities across the north of England.
“The establishment of this new railway board, tasked with driving forward the vision for world class connectivity between Liverpool and Manchester, is great news. I’m looking forward to working with the board to secure the future of Warrington as a regional and national transport hub, sitting at the heart of Northern Powerhouse Rail.
“We have been making the case for a new low-level station at Bank Quay for many years, and there has been growing regional enthusiasm and consensus for making Warrington a focal point of connectivity.
“Working with the board, we’ll now be looking to make the new station a reality, supporting the plans to increase connectivity, productivity and grow the economy across the north, while bringing substantial transport, economic and regeneration benefits to Warrington.”
