Our plans include:
- New lines through the Pennines between Leeds, Huddersfield, Dewsbury and Manchester
- New track between Liverpool and Manchester (via Newton–le-Willows)
- Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria directly linked via a new track at Ordsall
- Electrification of the lines between Liverpool and Manchester
- New lines between Sheffield and Manchester
This new infrastructure would allow:
- Blackpool: More frequent services
- Bolton: More service to destinations beyond Manchester
- Burnley: Potential for more direct services to Manchester via Todmorden
- Halifax: Increased frequency of services to Leeds, Manchester and beyond
- Bradford: Three trains per hour crossing Manchester to Manchester Airport, Liverpool and Chester
- Huddersfield: Up to six trains an hour to Manchester and Leeds
- Chester: Trains every half hour to Manchester throughout the day
- Buxton: Extra peak or all-day services
- Hull: Better connections to Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool
- Preston: Four fast trains to Manchester per hour, two via Bolton and two via Wigan
Supporting the economy
If funded in full, Northern Hub will stimulate economic growth by allowing the cities of the North to work much better together. These benefits will be felt across the North, not only where the improvements are made.
Targeted investment
Northern Hub enjoys an extremely strong business case. It will add over £4.2billion of wider economic benefits to the North of England, including the costs of the new services. This reflects a return of over four pounds for every pound invested.
Jobs, prosperity, growth
An estimated 20,000 to 30,000 private sector jobs could be created across the North of England as a result of Northern Hub.
Businesses on both sides of the Pennines will be able to recruit from a wider pool of talent while employees will be able to get to work quickly and easily.
Business will also enjoy access to bigger markets while face-to-face meetings with clients, business partners and consultants - crucial to the running of a profitable and dynamic business - will become easier.
The journey time reductions will allow rail to compete with road to provide quicker and more efficient journeys between city centres.
Manufacturing trading links with other parts of the UK and mainland Europe will also improve as freight trains deliver goods to markets efficiently, enhancing the economic competitiveness of the Northern Hub area.
Next steps
All of the partners involved in the project are working hard to find the best value for money solutions.
Northern Hub will be included in the industry’s plan to government in the autumn of 2011 and the campaign to win funding is underway.