Overview
- The government confirmed its intention to build a new Birmingham–Manchester rail line, separate from HS2, with no start or completion date and only after Northern Powerhouse Rail is finished.
- A £45bn funding cap has been set for Northern Powerhouse Rail, with £1.1bn released now for planning and design to produce a detailed delivery plan.
- Phase one targets upgrades in the 2030s on existing routes between Sheffield–Leeds, Leeds–York, and Leeds–Bradford, avoiding major new land purchases.
- A new Liverpool–Manchester route via Manchester Airport and Warrington forms phase two, followed by improved east–west links from Manchester to Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield and York, plus work toward a new Bradford station and Leamside Line development.
- Land acquired for the cancelled HS2 northern sections will be retained, northern mayors welcomed the commitment, and Conservative figures and unions criticised the lack of firm timelines and delivery detail.