Hub problem cracked - next step delivery

16th February 2010

The Northern Way warmly welcomes today's announcement by Network Rail of the conclusions of the Manchester Hub Rail Study. The identification of a clear solution to the North's biggest rail bottleneck is a major breakthrough. It is a critical part of the transformation of rail travel in the North.

Professor David Begg, Chairman of the Northern Way Transport Group said:

"Manchester Hub is the North's biggest rail bottleneck and a top priority for the Northern Way. In the middle of 2007 it wasn't on the national agenda but through working closely with Network Rail, the Department of Transport and stakeholders across the North, we are delighted there is now a very clear strategy for cracking the problem."

"This is a strategy for the North, not just Manchester, and it is right that Network Rail have called it the Northern Hub. It is about better long distance rail travel across the North and better commuter services. To be delivered by 2019, the Northern Hub will allow more frequent services between the North's major cities. It will allow new direct services between the North's cities rather than people having to change trains in Manchester. It will reduce journey times and provide new direct links between northern cities and Manchester Airport as well."

"We are delighted with the response to the challenge the Northern Way set down in April last year. Network Rail's work shows that the Northern Hub proposals are affordable and deliver strong value for money. We are calling for the Government to give a clear commitment to delivery in the 2014 to 2019 period when they publish their investment plans for the railways in 2012. There's more work to ensure work on the ground can start promptly in 2014 - and ideally before then - and the Northern Way will be working hard to make sure this happens. These improvements to the North's rail network are a fundamental part of the North's future economic growth."

Hugh Morgan Williams, Chairman of the Northern Way Steering Group said:

 "The Northern Way has been establishing the evidence for this £530m investment from the publication of our original Growth Strategy in 2004. It is a fundamental part of our Strategic Direction for Transport because of the opportunity it offers to generate substantial benefits for all parts of the North's economy." 

"Businesses across the North will welcome the prospect of access to wider markets.  By linking up the Northern cities more effectively, we can help improve the attractiveness of the North as an excellent investment location, as well as contributing to the transition to a lower carbon economy."

"A return of 4 to 1 is a compelling case for action.  Now we have a clear, investable proposition, we call on the Government to place the Northern Rail Hub at the top of its priority list for the next investment period and welcome the House of Commons' Transport Committee recommending this also."

Notes

The Northern Way published the Phase 1 Manchester Hub Rail Study - the Manchester Hub Conditional Output Statement - in April 2009. This identified 10 conditional outputs that Network Rail's phase 2 Study should seek to meet in developing the way forward for the Manchester Hub. These Conditional Outputs related to capacity and flexibility; carbon reduction; performance; journey times; access to growth centres in Greater Manchester; connectivity to deliver economic benefits; access to Manchester airport; Trans Pennine; north-south links and high speed rail; and freight.

The phase 2 study published by Network Rail today has identified a value for money strategy addressing the Conditional Outputs.

The Manchester Hub Rail Study forms part of the planning process for the Department for Transport's and Network Rail's investment plans for the railways between 2014 and 2019, to be published in 2012. Network Rail has committed to continue to develop the strategy in detail with a view to the inclusion of the Northern Hub proposals in the Government's 2012 Transport Plan.

Improved journey times between the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber and Manchester and Liverpool and the North West are vital to the North's economic growth, as are new direct services into Manchester Airport from places like Bradford and the ability to get from Newcastle to Liverpool without having to change trains. Network Rail's Northern Hub Strategy opens up these opportunities for longer distance travel and more.

The Northern Hub strategy also enables more commuter and local services to run through the day and connect across Manchester. And it creates more capacity to get freight onto rail as well.

The identified strategy also provides for further opportunities beyond 2019 for even more train capacity, reducing journey times further and allowing for the arrival of a future high speed line into Manchester.

The Northern Hub study will be developed over the next two years.  Members of the public can view the study and comment via the website www.networkrail.co.uk/north. Click here for more information on today's announcement.