6
IN VIEW TAKING A DIFFERENT LINE
Special report by Ged Henderson
Artist’s impression of HS2
The decision to axe the northern leg of the HS2 high-speed rail project was widely condemned by business and political leaders both in the north of England and nationally.
As had been widely anticipated Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the scrapping of the route between Birmingham and Manchester in his keynote speech to his party conference.
The high-speed rail link between Birmingham and Manchester – seen by many to be crucial to levelling up and a vital part of work to improve connectivity in the north – has been shelved over cost concerns.
The project was originally budgeted at £30bn, but the cost is estimated to have soared higher than £100bn, even after the Leeds leg was scrapped.
The PM said the move would free up £36bn – with every penny to be spent on “hundreds of new transport projects in the north and the midlands and across the country”.
These include a ‘Network North’ – described as a new plan to improve the country’s transport. Mr Sunak told the Conservative conference in Manchester: “Our plan will drive far more growth and opportunity here in the north than a faster train to London ever would.”
And he added: “No government has ever developed a more ambitious scheme for northern transport than our new Network North. This is the right way to drive growth and spread opportunity across our country, to level up.”
Critics remain unimpressed. Henri Murison, from the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, described the decision to scrap HS2 to Manchester as a “national tragedy - economically at least”.
The High Speed Rail Group described the announcement as “a devastating blow to our industry and our whole economy”.
It said: “For 15 years we have worked with the government to develop this project - their project - taking it from a concept to construction. Companies have invested in people, skills and equipment on the back of it with some even relocating in anticipation of it being completed.”
Logistics UK’s policy director Kate Jennings said: “HS2 was a vital plan to unlock economic growth across the UK – the additional capacity across the rail network which it would have released was critical to expanding rail freight opportunities and enabling a shift from road to rail to cut carbon emissions.”
And Robert White, chief executive at law firm Brabners, which has an office in Preston, believes the scrapping of the line could have a
negative impact on inward investment.
He warned: “Our own research highlights an increased appetite among UK and international funds to invest in the north but the uncertainty surrounding long-term decision making at a national level, and in this case the decision to abandon the northern leg of HS2, has the potential to significantly impact that appetite.”
In Lancashire there had been widespread belief that bringing the HS2 line north would have a positive impact on the county’s economic prospects.
The Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP) had previously said productivity gains from the impact of HS2 services to the area could help provide an extra £600m for the county.
Babs Murphy, chief executive of the North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, said: “This news is clearly disappointing in terms of the infrastructure of the existing rail network in the North West, though it is not surprising given weeks of speculation.
“HS2 would not only have brought more potential contracts to the Lancashire supply chain but also have re-invigorated an economy which has suffered in a post-pandemic world.
“Our hope now is the government comes up with
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70
