Gov pledges to extend tram line to Manchester Airport – where it …
The Government has pledged to extend the Metrolink line to Manchester Airport – where it has already existed for almost nine years.
Following the news of the second leg of HS2 being scrapped[1] on Wednesday (October 4) the government has instead announced the launch of ‘Network North’, with investments dubbed to improve transport and connectivity across the north of England.
In the north west, it was announced that almost £4bn in cash would be found to ‘improve connectivity’, including a scheme to extend the Manchester Metrolink lines to Heywood, Bolton and Wigan.
However, the government also announced that the Metrolink would be extended to Manchester Airport as a trade-off for the scrapping of HS2 – despite the fact the line already exists and was opened in November 2014.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak delivers his keynote speech at the Conservative Party conference (Image: PA)
The announcement read: “Nearly £4 billion to improve connectivity, which could pay for schemes such as the extension of the Manchester Metrolink to Heywood, Bolton, Wigan and Manchester Airport and bus rapid transit corridors in Manchester.”
The north was also promised over £3bn in ‘long term road resurfacing’ to fix potholes and more than £500 million towards two major road schemes around Manchester, including a new link road between the M62 and the M60.
In the announcement, a prospective map of the ‘Network North’ plans were shared, also appearing to show Manchester in the wrong place.
The Network North map – with Manchester labelled in the wrong place
People were quick to share their views on social media as one person humorously quipped Rishi Sunak would also be building ‘a tower for Blackpool’ and an ‘angel-type structure in Gateshead.’
On social media site X, @NorthWestern299 wrote: “This will come as a shock to those who’ve been using the Metrolink line to Manchester airport since [checks notes] November 2014.”
As @digsb posted: “This is quite incredible. One of the “new transport projects” is to extend the Manchester Metrolink to Manchester Airport. Ladies and gentleman, this extension was completed in 2014.”
@DamianHastie commented: “Sunak announces new investments in the North including extending metro tram link to Manchester Airport, a tower for Blackpool & an angel type structure in Gateshead.”
As @stuartbruce wrote: “At least the tram stop at Manchester airport is a promise the Tories can deliver.”
At the Tory conference on Wednesday, Mr Sunak said: “I am ending this long-running saga. I am cancelling the rest of the HS2 project and in its place, we will reinvest every single penny, £36 billion in hundreds of new transport projects in the north and the midlands, across the country. This means £36 billion of investment in the project that will make a real difference across our nation.”
This includes the creation of what he named Network North, which involves improvements to road, rail and bus schemes, with a further £12 billion to be set aside to improve rail journeys between Manchester and Liverpool, which was a project previously announced as part of Northern Powerhouse Rail.
However, his decision has been met with fury by politicians across the country and in Greater Manchester.[4]
References
- ^ the second leg of HS2 being scrapped (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
- ^ ‘You can’t have both’: The surreal moment Rishi Sunak cancelled HS2 to Manchester (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
- ^ HS2 Manchester link cancelled by Rishi Sunak – updates and reaction (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
- ^ fury by politicians across the country and in Greater Manchester. (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)