The Integrated Rail Plan outlines the government’s proposals to transform the rail network in the North and Midlands. This Transport Committee inquiry will examine the potential effect of the plan on rail capacity and connectivity in the region, and on the Government’s levelling up agenda.
In this first evidence session of the inquiry, the Committee will hear directly from stakeholders about the likely effect of the IRP on Manchester and the wider north. MPs are likely to ask about capacity and journey times, HS2, the impact on Manchester’s economy and business and the effect on the city. They will explore the effectiveness of the local agencies in making the case for strategic transport investment in the region.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, appears on the first panel. On the second panel, MPs will question the Chief Executive Martin Tugwell and newly appointed Chair, Lord McLoughlin of Transport for the North. Formed in 2018 to make the case for transport improvements across the North of England, Transport for the North brings together twenty local transport authorities and business leaders together with Network Rail, National Highways and HS2 and works with the UK Government.