Overview

• The proposed Liverpool-Manchester Railway (LMR) would reduce travel times between the cities from 53 to 32 minutes with express trains running every 10 minutes.
• The project, projected to cost £17 billion, includes five new or upgraded stations, an underground station at Manchester Piccadilly, and a new Liverpool Gateway station.
• Construction is expected to create 22,000 jobs and add £15 billion to the North West economy during its development phase.
• Analysis suggests the LMR could contribute to a £90 billion boost in UK economic output by 2040, supporting regional regeneration and connectivity.
• Mayors and business leaders are urging the government to allocate development funding in the June spending review and commit to a construction start in the early 2030s.