Network Rail and Kier to deliver £115m Manchester Airport station upgrade

Network Rail and Kier will begin a £115m upgrade of Manchester Airport station this winter, extending platforms and modernising track and signalling to increase capacity. The programme will run until 2028 as part of the wider Manchester Rail Upgrade.

Platforms 1, 2 and 3 will be extended to accommodate longer trains. Changes to the track layout on the approach to the station and upgraded signalling are intended to support more services and improve reliability at the airport transport hub.

The investment will support future passenger growth and connections to Manchester Airport. It forms part of a wider programme to improve rail capacity and connectivity across the North West, strengthening access to the airport for business, tourism and international travel.

The first major stage is scheduled for Sunday 6 December, when the station will close for one day so engineers can install a utility bridge across the railway. The bridge will carry electrical cables, enabling an existing structure used by Manchester Airport Group to be removed at Easter 2027. A replacement structure will then be built later that year.

Simon Daly, Network Rail senior sponsor, said: “Manchester Airport station plays a vital role in connecting people across the country so these improvements will create more capacity for passengers, allow longer trains to serve the station and improve the reliability of services for years to come.”

The works will be coordinated with Manchester Airport Group, Transport for Greater Manchester and train operators. Network Rail said the partners were working to minimise disruption during the programme, including arrangements to maintain passenger access during the December closure.

Rail Minister Lord Hendy said: “Manchester Airport is a vital transport hub and this £115 million investment from government will deliver more reliable services, increase capacity, and improve connections for the millions of passengers who use the station every year.”

Hendy linked the investment to the government’s proposed Great British Railways model, arguing that closer coordination between track and train would support a more integrated approach to infrastructure investment and railway performance.

The station is due to reopen on Monday 7 December following the initial works. Replacement buses will run between Wilmslow and Manchester Airport during the closure, while Metrolink services will remain unaffected.

The programme will expand the station’s ability to accommodate longer trains and future service growth. Its contribution is principally to passenger access and airport connectivity, with platform, track and signalling works providing the infrastructure for increased capacity.