ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE MP Angela Rayner believes the announcement of the new Northern Powerhouse Rail scheme can finally provide transport links the area deserves.
The Government says it is investing £45 billion to deliver a better infrastructure in what is known as the Northern Growth Corridor – between Liverpool, Manchester, Bradford, Leeds, Sheffield, and York.
That is likely to affect mainline services that run through Tameside – ones to Liverpool, Leeds and York stop at Stalybridge.
Locally, separate plans may see the area become better connected to Stockport, the airport and other areas.
And Ms Rayner, whose constituency also takes in Audenshaw, Droylsden and Dukinfield, believes this latest scheme can bring wider benefits than just quicker links.
She said: “Right now, connectivity in the north lags behind the south.
“A Paddington to Reading rail journey of 35 miles takes just 22 minutes. In contrast, the journey from Liverpool to Manchester Airport is a laughable one hour and 25 minutes, stopping 21 times over a distance of just 29 miles.
“Manchester to Sheffield or Bradford can take up to 54 minutes, despite both cities being around 30 miles away, and there are only two of these trains an hour.
“But this isn’t just about trains, it’s about growth. Improved connectivity means better jobs and opportunities for people in Ashton, Audenshaw, Droylsden and Dukinfield.
“When the north succeeds, the whole of the UK does too. Talent and potential are equally distributed across our country, but opportunity is not.”
Phase one of the NPR scheme will see upgrades to lines east of the Pennines, focusing on electrification and upgrades in the Leeds to Bradford, Sheffield and York routes, including the stations.
Phase two – looking at the west – promises a new route between Liverpool and Manchester, including new stations at Warrington, Manchester Airport and Manchester Piccadilly.
The third hopes to bring better cross-Pennine links over and above the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) currently being delivered.
Manchester to Bradford, Sheffield to Manchester and Leeds to Manchester are key parts of this programme.
“This isn’t an empty promise, we’re turning ambitions into reality,” Ms Rayner added. “The Government has committed £1.1 billion right now to get planning underway immediately.
“This will be followed by a fully funded, phased programme with up to £45 billion of Government funding.
“The north once kept the nation’s lights on, leading the country as titans of industry and innovation.
“But the decline of heavy industry in the late 20th century left deep seated pockets of inequality and poverty.
“Government after Government has chosen to allow communities in the north to fall behind, leaving them reliant on diesel trains running on two-track Victorian era rail infrastructure.
“This has had real consequences for the north. The productivity of northern England was nine per cent lower than the UK average in 2004 and 26 per cent lower than the greater south east, with this disparity consistent over multiple decades.
“This has meant fewer jobs, opportunities and housing, with wider implications for educational advancement and even health outcomes.
“Despite this, the north is home to many of the fastest growing city regions in the country. We deserve better and Northern Powerhouse is the kickstart we need to make that happen.”
NPR is not the only rail investment benefiting Manchester – the Government is also investing in the £11 billion TransPennine Route Upgrade (TRU), which affects Tameside, including a new railway station in Mossley.
It is claimed it will cut journey times between York and Manchester and Manchester and Leeds, create more than 5,000 jobs and support the development of 6,500 new homes in the region.