Is NPR ready for the next level?

The Manchester-Liverpool route was the world’s first inter-city line, connecting the two cities in 1830. Since then, it has been an integral part of the region’s growth. And as the modern railway looks towards its 200th birthday next year, plans are being developed to ensure that it remains just as vital to the region in the future.  

As Labour finally revealed its plans for rail in April, with its publication of Getting Britain Moving: Labour’s Plans to Fix Britain’s Railways, there was an impression of the many details that it will still need to outline, having now gained the keys to No. 10. This will need to include much of Network North, the collection of projects packaged up by Rishi Sunak after his cancellation of HS2 Phase 2a last October.

Getting Britain Moving also didn’t mention Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) - the grand plan to join the northern cities of Liverpool, Manchester, and Leeds through a series of new and existing rail lines.