We look at the importance of enhancing strategic and local connectivity within the East Coast to Scotland Strategic Development Corridor.
An effective transport network is fundamental for the North’s economy, allowing people to have strong connections to jobs, leisure, health and education, as well as enabling the efficient movement of goods and services.
Between now and 2050, our aim at Transport for the North is to ensure transport links are in line with current and future passenger requirements and freight rail movements. This will provide reliable links from the Midlands, through to the North, and onto Scotland. Subsequently, strong rail links from the East Coast to Scotland will also improve the Yorkshire to Scotland road corridor.
This corridor is of major importance to the region as it comprises numerous ports, airports (Newcastle, Durham Tees Valley, Leeds-Bradford, Doncaster Sheffield and Humberside), key rail hubs, and also intermodal freight terminals.
As part of the ‘Connecting the North’ series, we will discuss the benefits of connecting the East Coast to Scotland by rail, looking at what progress has been made so far and what the future holds for the region.
The North East, home to almost two million people, more than 850,000 jobs, and generating over £40 billion each year, is an important fast-growing economy in the North. It also has key national links to important freight and logistics centres, making it crucial to have fast, accessible and frequent transport links.
The region is calling for significant investment to prepare for high speed services in the region, by campaigning for the East Coast Main Line (ECML) corridor between York and Newcastle, and ensuring infrastructure would enabling HS2 trains to continue to Scotland.
By becoming a key part of the high-speed rail network, journey times from key cities on the East Coast to other major economic centres including Scotland would be significantly decreased. The North East Combined Authority believes by upgrading the rail line, there would not only be positive long-term effects, but also immediate economic benefits.
Research suggests a journey time between Edinburgh and London of 3 hours could realistically be achieved through the benefits of taking HS2 services to Scotland, but only if there is a combination of high-speed rail and an upgraded ECML.
The North East Combined Authority believes the country will reap strong economic benefits after the much-needed rail upgrades, ensuring easier, faster, and more reliable links available for all, in the North East and beyond.
There is also a growing renewable energy sector along the east coast, requiring collaboration and connectivity across the corridor.
There is potential for future longer term investment at Hartlepool nuclear power station and major renewable energy assets at Dogger Bank and Blyth, with links to those within Hull and the Humber.
Mayor Jamie Driscoll, from the North of Tyne Combined Authority, told our podcast that large parts of his region have transitioned away from high carbon industries of the past into the decarbonisation of the future.
He said there has been heavy investment in offshore wind which has created jobs and skills growth.
“Although we are seeing wind turbines going up in the North Sea, the government needs to change policy to make sure these wind turbines are built in Britain,” he added.
“We also have two gigafactories being built. The Britishvolt one in the North of Tyne and the End Vision One in Sunderland near the Nissan plant. That’s the first two gigafactories to electrify transport.
“And it’s not just cars, it’s all sorts of things are need electrifying – ice cream vans, fire engines, bulldozers, the lot. So there’s a lot of technology needs developing there.”
Listen to the full podcast here: