Call for North East rail investment following possible HS2 North scrapping
The North East is calling for some serious rail investment
Last updated 16th Nov 2021
There's pressure on the Government to reconnect the North East to the rest of the country, following reports a HS2 link from the Midland to Leeds could be scrapped.
The Government are being told they must improve transport links in the North East if they want their levelling up promises be taken seriously.
It comes as plans to extend the Tyne and Wear metro as well as improving the East Coast Mainline have stalled in recent months.
Henri Murison, manager of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, says the region cannot improve without improvements in transport.
The demand comes as plans to extend the Tyne and Wear metro as well as improving the East Coast Mainline have stalled in recent months.
"What the North East needs is more investment", he said.
"The North East has not seen investment in East Coast mainline, and northern powerhouse rail HS2 was going to unlock existing capacity, but also creating a bypass which would also give people in Ferryhill access to Newcastle and Wear by a Metro line extension.
"What I want to see is a northern England that is thriving and is successful, and that needs we need investment in infrastructure and transport, as well as in skills and education."
Henri added: "It benefits the whole region, because we've got those Metro Mayors working hard for their areas. If the Government cuts off the North East, it doesn't matter how hard those Mayors work, they will not succeed without being connected to the rest of the north and the rest of the country."
Empty HS2 promises
There's been an outpouring of anger in the north of England about an expected decision to scrap the eastern leg of HS2.
It's the section of the high-speed rail line meant to run between the Midlands and Leeds.
The Labour mayor of West Yorkshire claims her part of the country risks being 'let down again' - while opposition MP Naz Shah has accused the Prime Minister of 'pulling the rug' from under them.
As Boris Johnson’s own manifesto promised less than two years ago : “If this Conservative Government is returned to office, we will have an infrastructure revolution for this country. Now is the time to invest in Northern Powerhouse Rail.”
The Prime Minister even specifically promised the northern link just before the 2019 election.
A Downing Street press notice issued ahead of Boris Johnson’s 2019 speech at Manchester’s Museum of Science and Industry read: 'A new Trans-Pennine rail route between Manchester and Leeds will be confirmed today'.
The press release promised ‘new intercity rail routes’, ‘with Manchester to Leeds as the first step’.
But it seems as though they were empty promises.