FSB welcomes Northern Powerhouse Rail transport infrastructure investment

THE Government has recently announcement that billions will be invested to bring rail services across the North into the 21st century has been welcomed by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).
 
The FSB says that the investment will see up to:- £45 billion for new:- rail lines, stations and upgrades to existing tracks across the North, as part of the Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR), project on the M62 corridor between:- Leeds, Manchester, and on into Yorkshire and the North East.
 
In addition, funding has been earmarked for the electrification on the:- Leeds side of the Pennines, new stations in:- Bradford and York, and old lines to be brought back into service connecting the North East all the way up to:- Newcastle.
 
The Government has also said it wants to improve track between:- Birmingham and Manchester Airport, a plan which was controversially ditched by the previous Government in 2023, likely the final phase of the work, which is expected to be completed in the 2040's.
 
Phil McCabe, FSB representative for the North West, said:- "These are very welcome announcements the North has long been waiting for, but the commitments have to be concrete this time.  This kind of investment will allow the North to truly spread its economic wings and lift off to deliver the meaningful productivity growth the Region is capable of and the country the country needs. Faster journey times on new lines with brand new stations will make it much easier and quicker to travel around the North, reducing journey times and unlocking the Regional travel barriers that have existed between:- the wider Northern Region's big cities, which have long stymied the economic ambitions of the Region and exacerbated the north-south divide. However, if we're serious about growing and rebalancing the UK economy, improving connectivity between:- our Northern Towns and Cities, whether it is metropolitan areas or those that are more rural, it is essential that those areas which may not see immediate investment are not left out. This should be seen as a reset to enable investment, local and national, across the North, enabling further and more ambitious connectivity projects to unleash the potential we have here and create growth opportunities for the whole of the Region."
 
FSB is also arguing that the investment is also a golden opportunity to create new procurement opportunities for northern businesses seeking to supply goods and services during the project's design and build.
 
Phil added:- "This is a once in a century opportunity for the North, and the Government must make sure every last drop of value is wrung from the process, and that needs to start now. The Procurement Act, which came into law in February 2025, which allows the building to be much more flexible in terms of awarding contracts to smaller firms. This is an opportunity must not be missed. The Government must also commit to working with local authorities and public bodies to get the final blueprint right. That means no cut price shortcuts which will go on to stymy future growth ambitions and expansion of the new network. An Underground Station at:- Manchester Piccadilly is a must, for example. After years of talks and uncertainty, the Government now needs to push forward at pace, delivering much needed rail improvements for business, growth and jobs."