New images have been released showing how massive plans could transform Liverpool Central Station.
Today, Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham launched their vision for “transformative investment” in the North West’s two largest city regions. Mayors are establishing a new Liverpool-Manchester Railway Board to maximize the economic and social benefits of a planned new high-speed railway between the two cities.
At an event in Leeds, mayors outlined their preferred options for government investment, following positive discussions with Rail Minister Huw Merriman. The vision includes investment in inner-city train stations, including plans for a Manchester Piccadilly tube station and a revamped Liverpool Central Station.
MORE: Vision for a new transport hub in Liverpool city center with an expanded central station and underground connection to Lime Street
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Mayors have previously spoken of their optimism about a new high-speed rail link between Manchester and Liverpool via Warrington and Manchester Airport. The government has committed £12 billion to the project.
Mr Burnham said in his speech today that after scrapping the northern section of HS2, he believes the Government has a total of £17 billion on the table for it. However, he said more money was needed to achieve the full vision of regeneration in Manchester Piccadilly and Liverpool Central.
It is hoped that journeys between the new Liverpool Central Station and Manchester Airport could take just 25 minutes under the new plans.
The ECHO has previously reported on ambitions for a major new transport hub in central Liverpool as part of plans for the new high-speed rail link between the two cities.
City region leaders are seeking to overhaul current city center hubs to both accommodate new high-speed routes and ease network capacity issues at both Liverpool Lime Street and Liverpool Central Merseyrail station – one of the busiest rail hubs in the country.
The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (CA) has already applied for a strategic partner to work with it on a regeneration plan for the Liverpool Central area, with two clear objectives. Today we saw for the first time what this recovery plan could look like.
The CA wants to address capacity issues at extremely busy Liverpool Central while creating a “unique” opportunity to redefine the wider area around the station and enable “transformative place-based regeneration”.
The area – including Renshaw Street and Ranelagh Street – is seen as a potential key gateway between the city center and the growing Knowledge Quarter, which includes the city’s universities, the new Royal Liverpool Hospital and the ground-breaking Knowledge Quarter project.
The ECHO understands that the so-called “dream vision” of those responsible for the city and regional city is to expand Liverpool Central station and thus develop the station more comprehensively. At the same time, this station will be connected to Lime Street, possibly by an underground tunnel.
Executives have looked to stations such as King’s Cross St Pancras Transport and Euston Hub in London as inspiration for connecting tube services to an above-ground station locally and nationally.
There is also a belief that an expanded Central Station could potentially take some regional services away from Lime Street, freeing up the main station for the Government’s promised Northern Powerhouse high-speed lines.
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