A NEW railway board tasked with delivering transformational train services and an upgraded Warrington station will include the council leader.

Warrington Borough Council says it has warmly welcomed the Liverpool-Manchester Northern Powerhouse Railway Board, aiming to improve connectivity between the two cities – and through Warrington.

Elected mayors and leaders have launched the board – including Warrington council leader Cllr Hans Mundry, Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotheram and Greater Manchester metro mayor Andy Burnham.

Cllr Mundry will be playing a full part in representing Warrington on the board, which will drive forward the vision for improved rail connectivity following the scrapping of the northern HS2 legs.

Warrington is set to play a central role in the plans, with a new low-level station at Bank Quay the primary option for the next stage of the development of the route between Liverpool and Manchester.

The station would become the only hub station for the new Northern Powerhouse Rail line, giving Warrington significantly more connectivity to Manchester Airport, Liverpool, Chester, north Wales, the wider North of England, and ultimately the West Coast Main Line via the existing ‘high-level’ station.

For Warrington, the council says, it would mean a transformational increase in rail capacity and services.

This includes four to six trains per hour from Liverpool to Manchester Airport via Warrington Bank Quay station, and much quicker journeys.

Warrington to Manchester Airport would take eight minutes, while Liverpool and Manchester Piccadilly would take around 15 minutes and Leeds would take 45 minutes.

How a revamped Bank Quay station could look

How a revamped Bank Quay station could look

The plans would also present significant employment and regeneration opportunities around Bank Quay station, with the potential creation of 10,000 new jobs, the council says.

The area surrounding the station, earmarked for redevelopment, could also accommodate 3,000 new homes over the next 30 years, 1.7million square miles of ‘grade A’ office space and 10km of river trail and public realm enhancements.

Cllr Mundry said: “We remain a strong supporter of Northern Powerhouse Rail.

“We see it as is a vital scheme to transform connectivity and capacity and reduce journey times from Warrington to and from all major towns and cities across the north of England.

“The establishment of this new board, tasked with driving forward the vision for world-class connectivity between Liverpool and Manchester, is great news.

“I am looking forward to working with the board to secure the future of Warrington as a regional and national transport hub, sitting at the heart of Northern Powerhouse Rail.

“We have been making the case for a new low-level station at Bank Quay for many years, and there has been growing regional enthusiasm and consensus for making Warrington a focal point of connectivity.

“Working with the board, we will now be looking to make the new station a reality, supporting the plans to increase connectivity, productivity and grow the economy across the north, while bringing substantial transport, economic and regeneration benefits to Warrington.”