Following publication of the National Infrastructure Commission’s (NIC) Rail Needs Assessment today, Barry White, Chief Executive at Transport for the North, said:
“The National Infrastructure Commission’s report validates the vision of Northern leaders – recognising the desperate need to better connect the North’s towns and cities through new lines and significant upgrades as part of Northern Powerhouse Rail.
“But in all the NIC scenarios this would fall short of the full stated ambition of Northern leaders. That such investment in our rail network would also come at the expense of HS2‘s long-awaited arrival to Yorkshire is a bitter blow and one we oppose. The NIC was tasked with integrating these projects – not pitching them against each other.
“The Government now has a bold choice to make on how much it truly wants to level-up through transport investment.”
“As the report shows, increasing rail spend could transform the North’s fortunes. But constraining spending and ambition will lead to cut-price versions of the current plans and promised projects simply not being delivered – that will curtail investment in the North and cost many jobs.
“We now strongly urge the Government to be ambitious in its decision-making. If the mission is to ‘build back better’, then the message is simple: commit to the options that deliver true transformation for the North. That includes better connections for communities such as those in Liverpool, Bradford, Sheffield, Hull and the North East; proper and reliable east and west links; and exploring ways to accelerate construction of projects including the full HS2 network.
“The NIC recognises the clear need to build consensus and that the Government should work with Transport for the North. It’s important that we are fully involved in these crucial decisions as the Government finalises the Integrated Rail Plan.”
