THE electrification of the rail line between Liverpool and Manchester should be made a top priority, one of Merseyside’s most senior MPs said last night.

Louise Ellman, the Labour chairman of the influential Commons transport select committee, said the electrification should be undertaken as part of the Government’s plan to build its way out of the recession.

The MP’s call was backed by Cllr Mark Dowd, chairman of the passenger transport authority Merseytravel, who said the move would help cut journey times to just 30 minutes between the two great north west rivals

The distance between Liverpool and Manchester as the crow flies is just 33 miles.

But there are currently three so-called “fast” trains an hour between Liverpool’s Lime Street Station and Manchester Piccadilly, and they take either 47, 50, or 54 minutes.

Ms Ellman, who represents Liverpool Riverside, said the electrification of one of the two lines between the two cities would be hugely beneficial.

Network Rail (NR) said it was currently undertaking a study looking at the electrification of “key arteries” which should be completed in spring 2009.

NR is also looking into a resignalling scheme for Lime Street station and the railway tracks approaching it which would help increase speeds between Edge Hill and the station.

Trains between Liverpool and Manchester can take two routes – the Chat Moss line and the Cheshire line.