When the planned Northern leg of the HS2 High Speed Rail network was scrapped by then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in October 2023, the long-term prospects of the UK rail network above Birmingham looked in serious jeopardy. 

But although the current Labour has seemingly hesitated in announcing new Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) proposals since arriving to power in 2024, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has now finally laid down substantial plans to build a high-speed rail network across the north over the next 15 to 20 years.

These will make Manchester Airport a better-connected northern hub, provide connections to Liverpool in the west and efficient links to West Yorkshire’s urban sprawl, Sheffield in South Yorkshire, Hull to the east, and branches reaching up through York to Newcastle in the North East. 

Ms Alexander, said, “This new era of investment will reignite the economy across Liverpool and Manchester, helping their iconic sport and cultural industries to thrive, and cementing Manchester Airport as the gateway to the North.”  

The government announced a $45bn spending cap for the project, to allay fears of repeating the spiralling costs that proved fatal for the HS2 northern branch. But what’s the difference between this plan and HS2’s grand visions? Well, while HS2’s remit appeared to be primarily focused on linking the North and the Midlands with London, the new NPR proposals seem at least to be focused squarely on the needs of the North.

Capacity over speed

The beginning of work across the North is already underway with the completion of the current Transpennine route upgrade scheduled for 2033, and the encouraging signs are that the original priority of the HS2 project – expanded capacity – will need to be brought back into focus instead of the preoccupation with optimising speed that began to dominate.

The original HS2 route needed to be as straight as possible in order to avoid bends that would affect how fast the trains could travel, meaning the lines had to be built through land owned by numerous rural constituencies, with, “Councils, businesses and individuals [making] their case in front of a government committee asking for everything from noise barriers to financial compensation for communities losing green space,” according to a BBC report.

It’s to be hoped that easing these speed requirements will reduce the need for multiple permissions to be secured, which raised no end of problems for the original HS2 project. The disruption to communities should not be underestimated by planners building the NPR routes. 

Yet optimism is still plentiful among stakeholders. Huw Merriman, Chair of Liverpool-Manchester Rail Partnership Board, said of the new NPR plans: “It is excellent to see the government backing it in full from the outset, enabling proper planning and delivery that learns the lessons of HS2, as well as keeping options open for addressing North–South capacity on the West Coast Mainline.”

So, while prospects for high-speed rail in the North look brighter than they have for a long time, as ever, many in the transport sector will be adopting a “wait and see” approach to getting fully on board with the plans.

Image: The Transpennine route upgrade underway over the rail lines between Leeds and York. Credit: Shutterstock.