Transport for Greater Manchester has put forward a proposal to ease congestion and pollution on the strategic road network, which would see a new railway opened between Liverpool and Manchester.
The report, which was published last week, suggests that the new train line could use freight transport to remove up to 321,000 heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) from roads.
It states that logistics operators in the market require flexibility, frequency and reliability, and have turned back to roads when unable to get this from the rail network. The result has been major congestion on the strategic M62 and M60 highway network.
The proposal touches on the difference in freight routes across the country, reporting that north-south rail freight routes are relatively well served. However, there is a lack of connections between east-west, due to high passenger demand, noting a particular gap between the Freeport sites of Liverpool and logistic hubs in Manchester.
Prepared on behalf of the Liverpool-Manchester Railway (LMR) Board, Transport for Greater Manchester worked on the research in partnership with Arup. It is hoped that the new rail line would help build a ‘greener, more productive and globally connected Northern economy’.
Mayors Steve Rotheram and Andy Burnham are advocating for the proposal, along with former rail minister and chair of the LMR Board, Huw Merriman. Mr Merriman has called on the government to back it, saying: “The Government must invest in infrastructure to achieve its number one priority of growing the UK economy.
“With years of concentration in the south, there needs to be a fair balance of where that’s targeted, and the time is ripe to rebalance the nation. The North West is growing and will grow faster with transport infrastructure connecting people to new homes, jobs and skills to equip them for life.”
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