Wednesday 19 Feb 2014
Plans submitted to improve the railway between Manchester and Liverpool as part of Northern Hub
- Region & Route:
Network Rail has submitted plans for a new section of railway near Huyton station as part of the £600m Northern Hub investment to provide faster, more frequent services across the north of England.
Work is already underway to improve capacity between Manchester and Liverpool to increase the number of tracks through Huyton and Roby from two to four.
An application has been submitted to the Secretary of State for Transport, following successful consultation last year, to gain consent to complete work on the fourth track on adjacent land currently occupied by a telephone exchange and bus station.
Planning permission is required - through a Transport and Works Act Order - to construct a new 240m section which will allow additional non-stopping services to run on the line without being held-up behind local stopping services and freight trains.
Martin Frobisher, area director for Network Rail, said: “The Northern Hub will transform the railway in the north of England. It will create space for up to 700 more trains every day which will boost capacity and provide better journey options for passengers. The plans at Huyton and Roby are a key part of this investment and will help to increase capacity on the line between Liverpool and Manchester.”
Subject to consent, work is expected to be complete by the end of 2017. More information is available at www.networkrail.co.uk/huytonroby.
The Northern Hub is due to be completed by 2019. More details are available at www.networkrail.co.uk/northernhub.
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