Plan for new Liverpool-Manchester rail line revealed

Mr Burnham said the mayors had been given confirmation that public funds of £17bn, which were due to be used for HS2, were still available to “deliver this new railway”.

However, he added the funds were only a “starting point” and the board would also seek private investment.

“The economy gets bigger if you build the railway in the right way,” he said.

“It’s going to be a really exciting project to work on and this is what true levelling up always should have been, isn’t it?

“This is us, doing it for ourselves, setting our own ambition, where hopefully UK government enables, so finally, after all the pain of the debate around railways, we’ve kind of ended up at the right station.”

Chris Woodroofe, managing director of Manchester Airport and member of the rail board, said a new line would help more people “feel the benefit of a high-speed connection directly to a major international airport”.