Andy Burnham's pledge to push for a new railway link between Birmingham and Manchester has been welcomed by a former government minister. The Greater Manchester Mayor reportedly said he 'would revive the northern leg of HS2' if he became Prime Minister, according to the i Paper.
That stretch of the high-speed rail project was axed by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in 2023 amid concerns over soaring costs and delays. HS2 has continued to be plagued by controversy and calls to scrap it from political figures such as Reform UK's deputy leader Richard Tice, who previously described it as 'wasteful'.
Cross-Party Support for New Rail Link
Others, such as Burnham and former West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, support the project however, with both calling for an alternative to the northern leg of HS2 in 2024. Both political figures warned at the time that 'doing nothing was not an option' as they outlined three potential plans – one of which involved building a new rail line.
The i Paper reports that Burnham, who is running in the Makerfield by-election, has aims of 'bringing back the northern leg of HS2' if he became Prime Minister. Burnham reportedly said: 'I am absolutely clear, I've seen it myself in terms of expansion of our travel system. If you put that infrastructure in, it lays the foundations for higher growth… The lack of high-quality rail infrastructure in the north of England holds back its growth potential.'
He continued: 'There's a cleverer way of funding this. If you go back, I put the funding package together for Crossrail and it was actually a package that did have contributions from business and residents. You don't take all the windfall off the landholder, but you share the proceeds of that windfall, and the increase in land values created by the infrastructure is captured to pay back the cost of the infrastructure. So why shouldn't we fund infrastructure in this country in that way?'
Former Minister Welcomes Burnham's Comments
The comments from Burnham were welcomed by Huw Merriman, chair of the High Speed Rail Group and a former rail minister in Sunak's government. 'It is very encouraging to hear Andy Burnham continuing to advocate for a new railway between Birmingham and Manchester, a priority that has rightly remained on the government's agenda,' he said. 'The need for the route is no less pressing today than when HS2 was first announced.
'A new connection between Birmingham and Manchester will add transport capacity to and from the North, while also helping to deliver the government's ambition of a more balanced UK economy. To maximise those benefits, planning for the next phase should begin in good time, as experience shows that successful infrastructure projects are built on long term planning and certainty.'
He continued: 'With the London to Birmingham section of HS2 already under construction, the most complex and costly part of the new railway is being delivered. We now need to build on that investment, capitalising on lower delivery costs while sustaining the highly skilled jobs and world class supply chain that has been developed through HS2. HS2 was never intended to be a standalone railway. Its greatest value will be realised as part of a wider national network, connecting cities, unlocking capacity for passengers and freight, and supporting growth across the country.'
Lessons from HS2 and Future Plans
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service back in 2024, Burnham said 'lessons have got to be learnt from HS2'. 'What is one of the big lessons? I'll tell you what I think it is – it's the culture in Whitehall of the ministerial merry-go-round, where there's a reshuffle and a new HS2 minister or a change in government, a new Prime Minister. That's what builds in the complexity and the cost.'
He continued at the time that for him, the option of doing nothing wasn't an option. 'The West Coast Main Line is full, the M6 is full. We cannot, in my view, just stick where we are because the economic prospects of the West Midlands and Greater Manchester will suffer if we do that.'
Most Congested Part of the Railway
The Labour government announced its intention to build a new rail link between Birmingham and Manchester earlier this year. Not much is known about this new route but it may not be built until after the completion of the Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) scheme, which includes plans for new and improved rail links across the North of England. Under these particular proposals, this new link between the two cities would not happen for decades – a prospect met with derision and frustration from some parties.
Former West Midlands Mayor Andy Street had mixed emotions earlier this year, saying: 'The good news is they've agreed with what we said, that there has to be an upgrade and there's logic to a new route. The bad news is that it's hugely delayed but at least the idea is alive. We kept that idea alive after the decision of Rishi Sunak to scrap the northern leg of HS2. So good cross-party working and I'm convinced that has influenced the current government and their plans.'
He continued: 'It's just so obvious if you build a fast line to Birmingham and you build a fast line across the Pennines, the missing link is actually the easiest bit to do. So at some point I'm confident that will happen – and it's the most congested part of the railway so many advantages of doing it.'
HS2 Delays Confirmed
There was fresh anger last month when the government's transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, confirmed a delay for HS2 and said the first trains from Birmingham to London are now expected between 2036 and 2039. 'Taxpayers, passengers and communities along the route have been let down by years of mismanagement on HS2,' she said. 'I share their anger about the waste and mess, but I am proud that this Government has worked with HS2's new senior team to get this project off life support and on the road to recovery.'
The transport secretary said she had convened the team that delivered the Elizabeth Line and insisted that CEO Mark Wild's ongoing reset has already had a positive impact, with six major construction milestones reached earlier than planned in the last year. A full list of candidates standing in the Makerfield by-election can be found on the Wigan Council website.
