Keir Starmer is expected to formally revive the Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) project this autumn, with an announcement anticipated before the Labour Party conference on 28 September. The move, to be delivered alongside Rachel Reeves, aims to demonstrate Labour's commitment to northern infrastructure and boost backbench morale following a series of policy U-turns.
The project, which would create an east-west rail link connecting Liverpool to Hull via cities including Leeds, Bradford, and Sheffield, is seen as critical to rebalancing the UK's economy. It would require part of the HS2 construction between Crewe and Manchester to proceed, raising hopes for a revived HS2 service to the north.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is expected to make NPR a key theme of her conference speech, though a government source said the exact timing of the announcement is not yet confirmed. The Department for Transport confirmed that the precise route has not been formally agreed.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has lobbied extensively for both NPR and HS2, but warned that a high-speed service only to the Midlands with slower services in the north would be a 'monument to the British mentality'. The government has already spent over £500 million buying land north of Birmingham for the original HS2 plans.
Rachel Reeves stated in June that she would 'take forward our ambitions' for NPR, and the project appears on the Treasury's infrastructure pipeline. However, the significant costs involved mean that private investment would likely be necessary. Starmer and Reeves are preparing for the budget, expected in mid-to-late November, where they will argue for serious choices on growth and productivity.
