A NEW station could soon be built in Liverpool city centre to help connect the region to HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail.

In plans revealed today (Wednesday, March 13), Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram announced the creation of a 'Station Commission' which will be chaired by the chief executive of Everton Football Club, Professor Denise Barrett-Baxendale.

If the plans come to fruition, it is believed that the local economy would be boosted by £15bn with 24,000 new jobs, 11,000 new homes and 3.6m additional visitors each year.

Mayor Rotheram told the Globe: "Connecting the Liverpool City Region to HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail will both cut journey times and increase capacity, boosting our economy by £15 billion.

“In order to make that connection happen we will need a new station in Liverpool city centre, capable of accommodating HS2 trains, NPR trains and linking in with our local transport infrastructure. Lime Street will simply not be able to cope.

“Building a new station is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a gateway to the Liverpool City Region that is fit for the 21st century.

“What we envisage is more than just a station and a world-class transport hub, it has the potential to be a destination in its own right, architecturally stunning and featuring leisure and recreation facilities, commercial, retail, high-quality office accommodation, residential facilities and much more.

“It will provide a world-class welcome to a world-class city region, and will bring hugely significant social and economic benefits for the city region and the whole of the North.

“But of course bringing this kind of infrastructure project to fruition will be enormously challenging, and that is why I have created this Commission, to take forward the work required.

"Such a challenge requires first class leadership and so I am particularly pleased that Denise Barrett-Baxendale has agreed to serve as its chair. Denise brings a wealth of experience and intellectual rigour and I could not have more confidence in her ability to make this happen.”

A full connection to both Northern Powerhouse Rail and HS2 will reduce journey times between Liverpool and Manchester to around 23 minutes, Liverpool and London to around 89 minutes and will increase both passenger and freight capacity on our rail networks.

The Commission will also bring together experts from across the transport, business and public sector.

Professor Barrett-Baxendale said: “I am tremendously honoured to have been asked to chair this Commission.

"I have no doubt that it will be challenging but with that challenge comes a golden opportunity to create a modern transport hub fit for the city region’s future.”