Overview
- The line would open only after Northern Powerhouse Rail is completed, confirming it as a distinct project rather than a revival of HS2.
- The Treasury set a £45bn funding cap for NPR and released £1.1bn for development and design to produce a detailed delivery plan.
- NPR will be phased: upgrades in the 2030s on routes in West Yorkshire, then a new Liverpool–Manchester route via Manchester Airport and Warrington, followed by wider east–west improvements including funding for a new Bradford station and development work on reopening the Leamside Line.
- Land acquired for HS2 between the West Midlands and northern cities will be retained while plans are drawn up, with the new link intended to relieve pressure on the West Coast Main Line.
- Regional mayors welcomed the commitment, while Conservative figures and unions criticised the lack of delivery detail, with officials also signalling that local contributions such as business rates could top up funding.