June 3, 2025
Area Guide / Manchester
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Plans have been laid out by regional leaders for a new railway line connecting Manchester and Liverpool. The report, published in mid-may, outlines a brand-new route connecting the two major cities; starting at Liverpool Lime Street and finishing at Manchester Piccadilly, whilst stopping off at Liverpool Gateway Station, Warrington Bank Quay, and Manchester Airport.
Steve Rotheram, the Mayor of Liverpool, and Andy Burnham, Mayor of Manchester, are urging the government to work in partnership on these plans, alongside Huw Merriman, former Minister of State for Rail and HS2. Pleading for a firm commitment now, in order to allow construction to begin in the early 2030s.
Construction of the railway alone is estimated to create 22,000 jobs and a £15bn boost to the economy. The new line would be a ‘key component’ of the Northern Arc – a strategic economic corridor stretching from the Mersey, to the Pennines, and further. It’s designed to rival the success of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc, which saw housebuilding rates double, and £90.5bn GVA (Gross Value Added) by 2014, 11 years after the launch.
The connection between Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Warrington, and Liverpool City Region could add £90bn in cumulative GVA to the UK economy by 2040, and double the size of the region’s economy in less than 30 years – a recent analysis by Metro Dynamics suggests.
Covering just under 40 miles, the line will slash journey times, free up local rail capacity, and put half a million more people within 30 minutes of Manchester and Liverpool city centres. With the current rail line, the journey between the two centres takes an average of 49 minutes – these plans provide a 32 minute journey, more than 40% faster. Surrounding the planned stations will be five ‘Growth Opportunity Areas’, which will unlock new homes, jobs, and regeneration, supporting the wider Arc idea.
“Two centuries ago, the Liverpool-Manchester Railway changed the world – kickstarting the railway age and powering a revolution in trade, travel and opportunity. Today, we have the chance to do it again. Our new line forms part of a wider vision to unlock £90bn of economic growth, and 500,000 new homes – the kind of transformation our region, and our country, desperately needs.”
– Steve Rotheram, Mayor of Liverpool City Region.
What does this mean to investors?
Local regeneration will always play a positive role in property investment, but plans on this scale will hugely boost the North’s property market. With an expected £90bn addition to the economy, investors can be confident in increased property value, and demand.
As we’re in the early stages of planning, investors have plenty of time to pick their investments wisely, and still benefit from the upcoming growth nearby. Past case studies show that major rail projects often lead to significant property value increases, and regeneration in connected areas.
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