Freight News, Rail, Sea


Peel Ports welcomes plans for Liverpool-Manchester rail link

[ May 15, 2025   //   ]

A proposal to build a new rail line from Liverpool to Manchester – paralleling the historic route built by George Stephenson in 1830 – would boost rail freight in the region, says Peel Ports Group.

It says that the proposal unveiled by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority highlight the critical importance of rail freight in driving sustainable economic growth across the North and beyond.

With freight volumes forecast to rise significantly by 2050, Peel says that the Liverpool-Manchester Railway Board proposals offer a timely and practical solution to easing road congestion, cutting emissions and enhancing the resilience of national supply chains.

The enhanced east–west connectivity would reduce bottlenecks, improve reliability and future-proof infrastructure linking the Port of Liverpool with key markets across the UK.

While the proposed route is clearly aimed at boost passenger rail travel, with a part-underground line linking Liverpool and Manchester city centre stations via Warrington and Manchester Airport, it would relieve severe congestion on the existing routes. Currently, local and long distance passenger services, along with container trains accessing the Trafford Park terminal, have to be squeezed onto a two-track railway through Manchester.

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