UK Government has given backing to Manchester United stadium redevelopment plans which include a beneficial move for rail freight operations.
The UK government has expressed its backing for a redevelopment of the Old Trafford precinct around the Manchester United football stadium. There are implications for rail freight operations locally, which spread further across the whole northwest of England. A new development, around a completely rebuilt football stadium, would require the adjacent rail freight terminals to be relocated.
Freightliner UK, who would be affected most by the redevelopment of Old Trafford, has signalled its amenability to a move. An adjacent terminal, shared by DB Cargo UK and Maritime Transport, is also included in the proposals shown to the public last week. The other two operators have yet to comment. But Freightliner has expressed an interest in moving to a new development under consideration at Newton-le-Willows, about 25 miles (40km) to the west.
Project may take freight out of city centre
A statement from the UK government has put in motion a set of plans that, until now, were unconnected. Last week, the UK chancellor, Rachel Reeves, made a lengthy economic statement, signalling support for a list of infrastructure projects. “We are supporting key investment opportunities across the UK,” said Reeves, listing projects in Glasgow, West Yorkshire, West Midlands and Greater Manchester.
The Greater Manchester Mayor is in favour of the development, not least because it would take freight movements away from the city centre. “The government is backing Andy Burnham’s plans for the redevelopment of Old Trafford,” said Reeves. “[This] promises to create new housing and commercial development around a new stadium, to drive regeneration and growth in the area.”
New stadium may be built on terminal site
With tacit government approval, plans have moved ahead rapidly. The project has been priced at £4.2bn (US$5.2bn), with additional backing from the local authority, Greater Manchester Council. A 100,000-seat stadium would be the centrepiece, displacing existing intermodal rail freight terminals. Options have been made public by Manchester United.
The lesser terminal, shared by DB Cargo and Maritime Transport, may well be redeveloped as a passenger station. The larger of the two, operated by Freightliner, could end up under the pitch at a new Old Trafford stadium. Funding would be allocated for the terminal moves – which could benefit a new project, Intermodal Logistics Park North. ILP North has provision for an intermodal rail freight terminal, as WorldCargo News reported here last week.
Castlefield Corridor a potential winner
Ostensibly a separate project, ILP North, proposed by developers Tritax and given planning clearance by the UK government last week, was named by Freightliner as their preferred relocation. Speaking to local media, the operator said it was committed to assessing the feasibility of relocating their Manchester terminal to ILP North.
Moving 25 miles west, to a location on the West Coast Main Line and also on the Liverpool—Manchester route, would potentially provide a much better operational location than the repurposed yard at Old Trafford. It would also help relieve the notoriously congested “Castlefield Corridor,” a bottleneck route through central Manchester. The football club has said it will state its preferred options by the summer.