Overview
- The Treasury set a £45bn central funding cap for Northern Powerhouse Rail, with possible local top-ups, and released £1.1bn to develop a detailed delivery plan.
- Phase one focuses on upgrading existing routes between Sheffield and Leeds, Leeds and York, and Leeds and Bradford in the 2030s.
- Phase two creates a new Liverpool–Manchester route via Manchester Airport and Warrington, followed by phase three to strengthen links from Manchester to Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield and York, alongside work on a Bradford station and the Leamside Line case.
- Ministers declared a long‑term intention to build a separate Birmingham–Manchester line after NPR is complete, not a reinstatement of HS2, with no construction date and HS2‑acquired land kept in reserve.
- Regional mayors including Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram welcomed the plans, while Conservatives, unions and experts warned the scheme lacks firm delivery timelines and may require local contributions for major station upgrades.