Plans to revive Northern Powerhouse Rail delayed again

Plans to revive Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) will be unveiled in the coming weeks, government sources have said.

The announcement is expected to detail the scope and funding for the scheme aimed at cutting travel time between cities in northern England.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said in June that plans for the project would be published within weeks, a commitment yet to materialise.

On Wednesday, a government source said ministers were “taking time to get this right” and determined to avoid repeating the previous Tory administration’s “failures over HS2”.

“The Government remains fully committed to NPR,” they said.

“We are determined to learn from the mistakes of the past and not repeat the previous government’s failures over HS2 and the botched Network North plan.

“That’s why we’re taking our time to get this right. We will set out our plans in the coming weeks.”

The Northern Powerhouse project was first proposed by former Tory chancellor George Osborne in 2014 before being shelved under Boris Johnson’s administration.

Its aim was to boost economic growth in northern England, including through improved rail services between Liverpool and Leeds, which often suffer delays and cancellations.

When former prime minister Rishi Sunak scrapped HS2 north of Birmingham, some £12 billion of its budget was set aside to improve rail journeys between Manchester and Liverpool as part of NPR.

The Liberal Democrats urged ministers to “get on with the job” and “stop the delays.”

The party’s transport spokesperson Paul Kohler said: “Northern Powerhouse Rail is essential for improving transport across the North of England and unlocking growth – this setback delays the vital boost to northern communities that they have been promised.

“The Government must move quickly to resolve these issues, stop the delays and get on with the job. At the moment, this project is just as plagued by delays as actual trains.

“The Liberal Democrats will continue to hold Labour’s feet to the fire to try to ensure they deliver, including Northern Powerhouse Rail.”

The Treasury has been approached for comment.