Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has publicly raised serious concerns over plans for a major new Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI) near Warrington. The new facility, midway between Manchester and Liverpool, would be a purpose-built replacement for a terminal in Manchester. Burnham’s opposition places him at the centre of an increasingly complex debate about freight capacity, land use and rail investment in the North West of England.
The proposed Parkside development is on land to the east of Newton-le-Willows, about 30km from Liverpool and Manchester, directly on the West Coast Main Line. It is intended to provide a large intermodal rail terminal with associated warehousing and logistics space. It is widely regarded within the rail freight sector as a necessary replacement for Trafford Park terminal in Manchester, which could be displaced by redevelopment plans linked to Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium.
‘Major concerns’ over scale and evidence
News in the UK has been dominated today (14 January) by other matters in the North of England. Specifically, a plan by the UK Government to revive a collection of projects known collectively as “Northern Powerhouse Rail” (see reporting on RailTech.com, our sister service).
However, prior to that, there is an issue looming over another development in the area, and in this case centred on Manchester. It revolves around the proposal to redevelop the Manchester United football stadium at Old Trafford, and move a neighbouring intermodal rail freight terminal. In a formal letter submitted to the Tritax Integrated Logistics Park North consultation, Mayor Burnham said he had “major concerns” about the scale of the proposed development and its proximity to nearby residential communities. He questioned whether the size of the warehousing element was justified and said the supporting evidence provided during the statutory consultation was “highly unsatisfactory”.
The mayor also called for additional road infrastructure, including a new bypass, arguing that such measures were “crucial” even before the site becomes operational. He criticised the consultation process for failing to present a complete picture of cumulative transport, environmental and mitigation impacts, and expressed disappointment that the consultation was not extended beyond a 23 December deadline. While acknowledging the potential economic benefits of a new strategic rail freight facility for the North West, Burnham said he would need to see “substantial changes” before he could consider supporting the scheme.
Freight relocation tied to Old Trafford plans
The Parkside SRFI is closely linked to the future of Trafford Park rail freight terminal, which has long been identified as one of the UK’s most constrained but strategically important intermodal sites. Earlier reporting by RailFreight.com has highlighted that the Newton-le-Willows site could effectively relocate rail freight operations out of central Manchester, improving operational efficiency and access to the West Coast Main Line.
That relocation is widely seen as a prerequisite if land at Trafford Park is to be released for major redevelopment, including potential rebuilding of Old Trafford football stadium. Andy Burnham is, conversly, a leading proponent of the “Wembley of the North” vision. Rail freight stakeholders have noted that opposition to Parkside raises questions about where displaced freight activity would be accommodated if Trafford Park is lost.
Post-HS2 Manchester – is it actually Northern Political Rail?
Burnham’s intervention comes against a wider political backdrop of uncertainty over rail investment in the North. Labour ministers are expected to set out a phased approach to Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR), prioritising upgrades to existing infrastructure rather than new high-speed lines. Burnham has previously argued for a more ambitious, “full-fat” vision for rail in the region.
The debate is further sharpened by the cancellation of HS2’s Birmingham-to-Manchester leg, a decision Burnham described as a “betrayal of the North” (see reporting on our sister service RailTech.com). With HS2 no longer providing additional capacity into Manchester, freight and passenger operators alike are increasingly focused on how remaining network space is protected and expanded. However, today’s (14 January) announcements from the UK Government may, on the face of it, alleviate those concerns – but cynical observers point out that any revived infrastructure plan is decades away from being realised.
Nevertheless, as plans for Parkside progress, Burnham’s objections underline the tension between local political concerns, community impact and the strategic requirement for additional rail freight capacity in one of the UK’s busiest transport corridors. The quest remains – is this the real corridor of power that Andy Burnham seeks, or do his own development plans lie further south, and terminate at the head of government in London?