However, this may not be the end of railway development in the area. Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR), often referred to as HS3, is a plan for a new railway network for the north of England.

For years, the Chamber has called for Northern Powerhouse Rail to build a high-speed link from Liverpool to Hull, linking up the two port cities in the West and the East with Sheffield and Leeds.

AtkinsRealis and Arcadis have been selected by Network Rail to support the design of Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR), an initiative aimed at enhancing rail connectivity in Northern England.