Andy Burnham urges Government to back 'Northern Arc' from Hull to Liverpool

Mr Burnham is set to present research from economists at Metro Dynamics, which found the North is losing £16bn a year in productivity due to poor transport links.

The study said that by investing in rail infrastructure stretching from Merseyside to the Pennines, and linking to Yorkshire, could deliver massive growth.

“The Northern Arc is the most exciting growth opportunity on offer – and one that can give a massive boost to the national economy,” Mr Burnham said.

“Greater Manchester has been the UK’s economic success story over the past decade, as part of a resurgent North pioneering English devolution.

“But the outdated infrastructure linking our great cities risks limiting our potential and widening the productivity gap with London and the South East.

“The Government has given its backing to the Oxford-Cambridge Arc to boost economic output in the South.

“We can say with confidence that the Northern Arc is our answer to reaping the rewards of growth here – and offers an even bigger prize for UK plc.”

Metro Dynamics found that better rail connectivity along the M62 corridor could be a £90bn boon to the economy in the North West alone, compared with the £78bn from Oxford-Cambridge investment.

Mr Burnham is likely to push Treasury officials for a decision on Northern Powerhouse Rail tomorrow, the long-planned high-speed line from Liverpool to Hull with a new station in Bradford.

It was originally supposed to link up with HS2, however the project was delayed when the northern leg of the high-speed rail line was cancelled by Rishi Sunak.

In the Budget, Treasury documents confirmed that the Transpennine Route Upgrade would be used to “transform northern rail connectivity and lay the ground for Northern Powerhouse Rail”.

This comes after the three Yorkshire mayors commissioned Lord David Blunkett to conduct a rail review ahead of the spending review.

The New Labour Cabinet minister, Tracy Brabin, David Skaith and Oliver Coppard met with Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander in York earlier this month to put forward the initial findings.

Speaking to The Yorkshire Post exclusively ahead of the report’s publication in May, Lord Blunkett said some of the delay figures in the region were “absolutely staggering”.