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Railways: North West

Asked by Jo PlattLabour (Co-op)Department for TransportTabled Answered 15 June 2026UIN 6780

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of (a) Northern Powerhouse Rail and (b) the Liverpool–Manchester Railway on (i) economic growth, (ii) productivity and (iii) job creation in the North West.

Answered by Simon Lightwood

Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) will drive growth and productivity across the Northern Growth Corridor by delivering a turn up and go railway from Liverpool to York.

Our Northern Growth Strategy recognises significant opportunity to accelerate economic growth across the region - increasing the 5 main city regions’ productivity to the national average could add c.£40 billion per year GVA.

NPR’s Programme Business Case will set out an assessment of the scheme’s impacts on growth, productivity and jobs in line with the Green Book and the Department intends to publish this later this year.

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