Andy Burnham pushes new rail projects to revive northern England's train network

Since taking office, Andy Burnham has highlighted the rail shortfalls that have plagued the north of England since the first Darlington-Stockton service in 1825. He condemned the 2023 decision to scrap the northern HS2 segment and is now pressing for a new high-speed route between Birmingham and Manchester, a project the Starmer government has earmarked once other northern ambitions are met. Burnham also insists that Manchester Piccadilly must be rebuilt as an underground station, a component of the Northern Powerhouse Rail programme capped at £45bn.

The ongoing unreliability of Avanti West Coast has led to calls for its contract to be ended and the operator to be returned to public ownership ahead of the 2027 timetable. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said a capacity study for the west-coast main line will be accelerated, reflecting Burnham’s push for faster action. Analysts note that financing the underground station and reallocating freight traffic will be decisive factors in delivering the promised upgrades.