On 22 January 2026 the Secretary of State for Transport signed six compact agreements with metro mayors across the North to progress Northern Powerhouse Rail. The Department for Transport published the documents listing Tracy Brabin, Andy Burnham, Oliver Coppard, Kim McGuinness, Steve Rotheram and David Skaith among the signatories. (gov.uk)
The compacts set out the scheme’s scope, initial phasing and a joint governance model for key design choices. Delivery Boards bringing together Mayors and Ministers will guide the first 18 months of work, supported by Tom Riordan as Envoy to the Northern Growth Corridor, with outputs intended to inform Spending Review 2027 decisions. (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk)
Phasing is consistent across all six agreements. Stage one prioritises electrification and upgrades on the Leeds–Bradford, Leeds–Sheffield and Leeds–York corridors; in parallel, development work advances the planned new line between Liverpool and Manchester; later stages progress additional cross‑Pennine connectivity. This mirrors the approach set out by ministers earlier in January. (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk)
Funding parameters are defined nationally. Government has allocated £1.1 billion for development over the current Spending Review period and set a whole‑programme cap of £45 billion, with a detailed delivery plan to follow. The compacts commit to spend monitoring and applying HS2 lessons to protect wider transport budgets. (gov.uk)
Each city region will work with central government on a blended funding approach. The majority of costs will be met by central government, while local contributions are envisaged for defined elements such as stations, interchange, onward travel and surrounding development, and where regions choose to pursue scope beyond the core outcomes. Mechanisms to manage and release local funds will be agreed jointly. (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk)
In Greater Manchester, the compact calls for further testing of an underground option at Manchester Piccadilly and sets expectations around contributions to Manchester Airport Station, including third‑party sources. Both items will be subject to additional value‑for‑money work before decisions are taken. (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk)
For the Liverpool City Region, the agreement highlights the need to confirm approaches into the city, assess ‘Gateway’ station options and integrate NPR with investment at Liverpool Central, with related discussions on local funding. (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk)
West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire will align NPR with the White Rose report. Priorities include reaching decisions on the Bradford station business case by summer 2026, coordinating with the West Yorkshire Mass Transit programme, and assessing how to secure up to four fast trains per hour between Leeds and Sheffield, alongside early operational benefits at Sheffield station. (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk)
The North East compact focuses on ensuring NPR services reach Newcastle and sets out complementary upgrades. It confirms that reopening the Leamside Line from Tyneside to Washington will be led by the mayor using Transport for City Regions funding, with the business case for remaining sections to be developed and, if approved and value for money is demonstrated, funded via RNEP or future TCR rounds. Potential East Coast Main Line enhancements are also identified. (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk)
York and North Yorkshire will produce a coherent plan for York station in step with the York Central scheme to create capacity and improve performance on East Coast Main Line services, sequencing this alongside wider NPR development in Yorkshire. (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk)
Ministers have framed the compacts within a wider NPR delivery plan: mature designs and consents before construction, development funding over the next four years, and safeguarding options for longer‑term capacity including a future new north–south line from Birmingham to Manchester, while prioritising near‑term benefits across the North. The compacts provide the structure for those choices to be taken locally with government. (gov.uk)