Trafford Park, not Old Trafford. Plans for a “Wembley of the North” hinge on acquiring land adjacent to an existing football ground in Greater Manchester. However, an operational rail freight terminal currently occupies that land, and moving on is proving less of a green signal than expected.
Since the project was first introduced, there have been sceptical voices raised. Right now, these voices seem to be in the ascendancy. The proposed redevelopment of the Manchester United Football Club stadium precinct is running into a malaise for modern football. It all comes down to money. The gap between the offer price and the bid for Trafford Park seems as wide as the gaps in Manchester United’s defence.
Trafford Park as a star striker
A critical turn of events has been the current sale of Freightliner’s intermodal business. French shipping giant CMA CGM acquired the business in September. It would seem likely that any owner would be eager to maximise the value of its assets. Certainly, the asset of Trafford Park carries a high value, especially when it sits as critical to the stadium plan as Manchester United’s form in the English Premier League.
The Guardian newspaper (historically founded in Manchester incidentally) reported that Brookfield has valued the terminal land at £400million (€472m). This mirrors what may very well happen in football. As soon as a leading football club takes an interest in your star striker, their stock rises. For their part, the regeneration partners had hoped to pluck this star player from their rail freight rivals for about a tenth of that figure.
Intangible benefits surely recognised
Freightliner, and rail freight in general, does have a replacement in mind. They are party to plans for a new terminal, about 25 miles (40km) down the line to the west, at a site near the city of St Helens. The irony is that the new site has potential for much smoother operations – and just happens to be adjacent to the West Coast Main Line and a network of highways.
There is also the matter of finally getting out from under the congestion of the Castlefield Corridor. Much of the traffic for the terminal has to navigate the narrow two-track mixed traffic line through central Manchester. It has become a byword for delays across the whole of the North of England. Moving out to St Helens could remove that freight traffic from the corridor, and help relieve pressure on a much wider swathe of the network. That intangible value is something that Freightliner’s owners have surely recognised.
Decision rests with the parent club
The prize for rail freight may not be as glamorous as the Premier League trophy. However, the value to the British economy could be almost as impressive. There are no trophies up for winning, but it would certainly promote operations up a division. Moving to a purpose-built intermodal terminal, designed for the twenty-first century, could offer the region a new facility, fit for international trade.
If this were a football transfer, then the negotiations would now be taking place behind the closed doors of some Manchester hotel penthouse suite. That may very well be the case anyway for this deal. However, it’s not just the sales side that has financial clout. The regeneration team has some formidable allies. Not least are the local authority and the national government. As with a star player transfer, though, the ultimate decision rests with the parent club. Right now, the only silverware coming to Trafford is in the back of a shipping container.