[cwoodward]

In what looks to mean about turn the Government looks to have confirmed £12bn towards delivering Northern Powerhouse Rail “as previously set out”, including a new Liverpool to Manchester link.
Am (I who does not live in the UK) misunderstanding something here or is this squarely an election time bribe ?

[transtraxman]

Be wary of the sums quoted to you by the Government. Many a time, if not always, they do multiple counting to make something sound new when it is a rehash of previous promises.
There are a series of routes which have, for a long time, been recognised as essential and urgent. Yet here we are still speculating about them.
These are my strongest candidates…..
1– Electrification: finish the line Liverpool Lime St. – Manchester Victoria – Leeds -York, and the line from Leeds through Selby to Hull
2– Electrification: South Liverpool through Warrington Central to Manchester Piccadilly then on to Sheffield, Doncaster, Broughton and Cleethorpes
3– Electrification: Warrington Bank Quay – Chester – North Wales Coast – Holyhead
4– Electrification: Crewe – Chester
5– WCML four tracking: Crewe – Warrington BQ. – Wigan – Preston – Lancaster
6– New line and Electrification from Sheffield to Leeds and Bradford
7– New Line and Electrification from Manchester Piccadilly to Ardwick then underground through Withington and Didsbury to Manchester Airport. This joins up there to the existing rail connection to Piccadilly to make the route circular to Ardwick. Thus making M/C Airport a through station.

It should be born in mind that these are the most urgent works needed. But all the lines are needed for inter-city passengers, regional passengers, commuters and FREIGHT (very much so). Thus the roads, industry and thus the country at large benefit, including the reductions in gases.

12 billion pounds would be but a drop in the pool but a very useful one which could do much more than its seemingly little contribution.

2 users thanked author for this post.

cwoodward, AndrewinHK

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