Pulling plans to build two new platforms at Piccadilly station is a 'decade lost for the North of England', Andy Burnham has said as he pushed back against the move at a meeting of mayors, council leaders and rail chiefs today (June 7). Building platforms 15 and 16 has been seen as key to unclogging congestion on railways across the region – but the proposal was withdrawn last month.
Questioning the move, Lord Patrick McLoughlin, who signed off the initial plans in 2014 when he was transport secretary, said an 'inordinate amount of time and effort' was spent on the scheme. It comes as Transport for the North (TfN) - the body set up by the government which Lord McLoughlin is now the chairman of - looks at a 'new approach' to regional rail infrastructure upgrades.
But the Rail North Committee has refused to endorse a letter to the transport secretary which removes recommendations for the additional platforms at Manchester Piccadilly until their concerns are addressed. Mr Burnham, who was appointed chair of the committee, said the new statutory advice set to be issued by the public body would be 'less specific' in what it is recommending.
