Government backing of Old Trafford development points towards Freightliner move

The government’s backing of plans for development at Old Trafford in Manchester has raised further questions on the future of Freightliner’s terminal at Trafford Park, with the company confirming to RAIL it was still examining a potential move to a new facility near St Helens in Merseyside.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves recently announced support for a redevelopment of the whole site surrounding Manchester United’s stadium.

Including a completely rebuilt Old Trafford stadium, it would require the relocation of Freightliner’s terminal as well as an adjacent terminal operated jointly by Maritime Transport and DB Cargo.

Freightliner has been looking at potential sites, including a new site at Intermodal Logistics Park North (ILP North) in Newton-le-Willows.

“A full relocation is one option under consideration,” said a Freightliner spokesperson.

“But whatever the outcome, it is imperative that the region retains the ability to grow rail freight volumes, which is essential for the wider regional economy and carbon reduction targets being achieved, with rail being the most environmentally sustainable mode of freight transport.”

When asked by RAIL, the company declined to provide a timescale on any decision.

The site at ILP North could have huge potential for rail freight. Developer Tritax Big Box has estimated that it could deliver a long-term investment of £175 million per annum, as well as a brand-new rail freight interchange capable of serving up to 16 trains per day. It has also been estimated as providing up to 6,000 new jobs.

The development also received a boost after the government designated it a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, allowing Tritax Big Box to bypass normal local planning requirements.

A Tritax Big Box spokesperson said it had yet to secure any occupiers for the site. However, the company did confirm that it was planning on submitting a Development Consent Order in early 2026, with a decision due in autumn 2027.

The plot sits at the junction of the West Coast Main Line and the Liverpool-Manchester line, east of Newton-le-Willows.

This could mean a significant rerouting of freight traffic through Manchester, reducing congestion through the Castlefield Corridor. The corridor has been running at capacity for a significant length of time, with both local rail body Transport for the North and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham calling for a long-term solution that would result in freight traffic avoiding the corridor and the city in general.

Speaking recently, Burnham said he was turning his attention to rail. “The priority for me this year is to get that freight out of the main rail network. It needs to be taken out,” he said.

“You wouldn’t be on a platform at London Bridge and see a container train coming past for two minutes. Why is that acceptable in the north of England when they would never expect it in London.”

Plans for the new development at Old Trafford are being spearheaded by Greater Manchester Council as well as Manchester United, and are tentatively costed at £4.2 billion.

Since Reeves’ announcement, plans have moved forward at the Old Trafford site, with Manchester United aiming to set up a statutory body to advance the project.