HS2: Link road between M62 & M60; and new Metrolink lines …

A link road between the M62 and M60, new Metrolink lines to Heywood, Wigan[1] and Bolton and billions to fix potholes have been promised by the government.

Following the news of the second leg of HS2 being scrapped[2] 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 his speech on Wednesday (October 4), Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that 'every penny' of the savings would instead be invested in transport projects across the north and Midlands, including more frequent trains and faster journeys.

The announcement has said that £12 billion will be set aside for links between Liverpool and Manchester to 'ensure the delivery of Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR)'.

New road resurfacing has been promised for the north, costing around £3.3 billion. More than £500 million in funding has also been promised for two major road schemes around Manchester, including a new link road between the M62 and the M60, to tackle congestion and delays.

In the north, nearly £4 billion through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements will 'improve connectivity', including a scheme to extend the Manchester Metrolink lines to Heywood, Bolton and Wigan and also to Terminal 2 at Manchester Airport.

The Government has pledged to build a new Metrolink line to Manchester Airport Terminal 2

The government has also pledged to spend over £3bn to deliver 'faster and more frequent' trains between cities in the north of England, including to Hull, Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester, with routes between Sheffield and Manchester also upgraded.

As part of the plans, the government has also promised that as part of the Northern Powerhouse Rail plans, the biggest cities in the north will be connected to each other by fast, electric trains running several times an hour.

Greater Manchester has also been promised £1.5 billion from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements budget and around £900 million additional funding – funded from HS2.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaks during the final day of the Conservative Party Conference

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.”

However, his decision has been met with fury by politicians across the country and in Greater Manchester.[5]

References

  1. ^ Wigan (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
  2. ^ the second leg of HS2 being scrapped (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
  3. ^ HS2 Manchester link cancelled by Rishi Sunak - updates and reaction (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
  4. ^ Government pledges to extend Metrolink line to Manchester Airport... where it already exists (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
  5. ^ fury by politicians across the country and in Greater Manchester. (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)

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