Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne believes the UK needs to build a new high-speed railway line between Manchester and Hull to create a ‘Northern Powerhouse’ to rival London.
Speaking at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester today (June 23), Osborne said that a third high-speed railway was needed connect northern cities in the east and west.
Osborne said: “Today, I want us to start thinking about whether to build a new high-speed rail connection east-west from Manchester to Leeds. Based on the existing rail route, but speeded up with new tunnels and infrastructure.”
The announcement included no timescales or potential funding options.
Osborne added:”Where are people joining the labour market at the fastest rate? The North-West and North-East.
“Where is construction strongest? Yorkshire and Humberside.
“We’ve seen massive investments all over the north. Hitachi, Nissan and Rolls Royce in the North East. The Airport City in Manchester. The new deep water port in Liverpool. Siemens in Hull and East Yorkshire.”
Speaking about the importance of HS2, Osborne said: “We are making it happen. The reality is that HS2 is a vital investment. It’s essential capacity and it will change the economic geography of the country. It will mean that London and Manchester are just an hour apart.
“Of course, there are opponents of the project – just as there were opponents of the original railways. I’ve discovered that almost everything worth doing in politics is controversial.”
It’s good that they are sticking by it. So many countries which have adopted high-speed rail surely cannot all be wrong?
Roshan, we have quite high-speed rail already. Some capacity issues, it’s true but it’s never been clear that HS2 was the best solution. And it is largely about releasing commuter capacity into London – the benefit to the North is unclear. HS2 isn’t a bad project but it’s far from certain it’s the best use of £40bn+.
George Osbourne´s statement is pure politicking. It means nothing until concrete proposals are laid on the table. He is using this statement as justification for HS2. There is no justification for HS2 from Birmingham to Manchester and Wigan. The eastern branch has more justification. The MML from the London to Nottingham and Derby needs to be upgraded urgently. From East Midlands Airport Parkway a new line needs to be built, instead of the present mish-mash of slow twisting lines, up to Sheffield and Leeds.
On a West-East axis there are two fast lines from Liverpool to Manchester, one via Newton-le-Willows (already being electrified and upgraded) while the other is through Warrington (not upgraded). The essential works must be on the Manchester-Leeds-York(for ECML)- Scarborough line, the Leeds-Hull line and the Manchester-Sheffield-Doncaster-Cleepthorpes line. Add to that the line from Blackpool-Preston-Blackburn-Bradford-Leeds and then you have meaningful Cross-Pennine connections. That way you get the major ports and industrial power-houses of the north connected in meaningful time limits – fine for commuters and inter-city travellers.
George Osbourne has a cheek to try and glean credit for the industrial investment already done in the North. It should be remembered that this was achieved despite government infrastructure investment not because of it. And most certainly it should not be used as an argument to build HS2 where what are needed are Cross-Pennine fast lines(not high-speed). As usual a politician is trying to muddy the waters by making no difference between fast lines and high-speed lines for his own ends.