Chamber comment on HS2 update

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Mark Thurston, Chief Executive of HS2 said in his update to the transport select committee that they had been told by the Department for Transport to only focus on the western leg of HS2.

Chamber policy adviser, Marianne O’Sullivan comments:

“It is deeply concerning to hear that the eastern leg of HS2 may be scaled back or scrapped. Doing so will increase regional disparities and do nothing to improve rail connections in the region. We need both the east and west sections completed to truly level up the North’s rail infrastructure.

“The North East has faced historic under-investment in its transport network. Better connections will increase productivity and help to encourage more trade between northern cities as well as giving people a wider choice of employment opportunities, encouraging them to stay and work in the region.

“The Government must publish its Integrated Rail Plan immediately and commit to the eastern leg of HS2, Northern Powerhouse Rail and upgrades to the East Coast Main Line.

“Without investment our region’s potential will continue to be held back by out-dated infrastructure. We need Government to be ambitious in its ‘build back better’ programme and commit to investing in transformational projects for the North to build a truly fair recovery.”

North East leaders urge Government to invest in regional rail links

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A powerful group of North East business and political leaders has written to Government urging it to make investment in the East Coast Main Line an urgent priority.

The letter to the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps sets out the substantial economic advantages to improving capacity along the crowded route from Northallerton to Berwick.

Signed by James Ramsbotham, chief executive, North East England Chamber of Commerce on behalf of businesses, local authorities and Northern Powerhouse Partnerships, in the letter he said: “We are writing to you united to make the urgent case for investment in the East Coast Main Line as part of the Government’s Integrated Rail Plan. This funding will show that the Government truly is committed to investing in the North and the levelling up agenda as part of the recovery process.

We need HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail delivered, along with investment in regional links to tackle decades of underinvestment in the North East’s rail links.”

Capacity issues on the East Coast Main Line, which has only one track north, and one south are a key concern. The letter highlights how upgrades can be delivered through reinstating the Leamside line in full and upgrading the line between Northallerton and Norton and the Stillington line as land is already available on which to run new track. The letter also highlights the Durham Coast line and investment in local links connecting from the East Coast Main Line to the whole of the North East.

Councillor Martin Gannon, Chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee, said: “North East business and political leaders are fully united in this call for investment in the East Coast Main Line including the reopening of the Leamside Line in full. This is a crucial priority for our region and it is imperative that the government acts now.

“We urgently need to increase capacity on the East Coast Main Line which would deliver significant economic benefits across our region. As it stands, the East Coast Main Line is too slow and unreliable, and it simply doesn’t offer the capacity we need on this vital connection, now or in the future. As well as solving capacity constraints on the East Coast Main Line, a reopened Leamside Line could enable the introduction of local passenger services and extensions to the Metro, so its importance cannot be overstated.

“The North East Joint Transport Committee strongly urge Government to commit to upgrade the East Coast Main Line in the upcoming Integrated Rail Plan (IRP), including the full reopening of the Leamside Line. We continue to work closely with key partners to push for this long-overdue investment.”

Chamber comments on National Infrastructure Commission’s ‘Rail Needs Assessment’

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Whilst it is positive to see the East Coast Mainline and regional stations highlighted in the National Infrastructure’s report the North East shouldn’t have to choose between investment in these or HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail.

Improvements to Darlington and Middlesbrough stations have been highlighted by the Commission as quick wins to increase capacity and help to deliver more services along with the Northumberland Line scheme to provide connections between Newcastle and Ashington.

The East Coast Main Line was highlighted by the Commission as a key route, we need to see a major upgrade to the route north of York with a focus on improving capacity. The reinstatement of the disused Leamside Line coupled with upgrades for the existing East Coast Main Line, including between Northallerton and Norton will help to increase capacity and reliability on the route.

We need to see the Government commit to upgrading existing lines, improving regional links in the North and investing in long distance links to link the North and Midlands to the rest of the country.

We need HS2 Eastern leg in full and Northern Powerhouse Rail delivered along with investment in regional links to tackle decades of underinvestment in the North East’s rail links. HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail are essential to increase capacity and create reliable rail connections across the North.

With the government now set to publish an Integrated Rail Plan in 2021 it is essential that Northern Powerhouse Rail, the HS2 Eastern Leg, and upgrading the East Coast Main Line in the North East are all included. In order to achieve its levelling up agenda and increase productivity the Government needs to invest to increase capacity and create reliable, sustainable connections for the North East.

View the National Infrastructure’s report here.

North East urgently needs a strong infrastructure

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The announcement of a budget and the publication of the National Infrastructure Strategy in March means it’s an important time for infrastructure investment in the NE.

We have seen that the Treasury has plans to reform the Green Book (the formula used to decide funding for projects) which could help to bring increased investment into our region and help to stop the transport funding gap between London and the North of England.

Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport came to the North East on his first Ministerial visit of 2020 earlier in January. During a meeting with Chamber members he emphasised Green Book reforms would lead to an increased focus on infrastructure projects across the North.

The National Infrastructure Strategy will outline long-term plans for the UK’s transport infrastructure, decarbonisation and digital infrastructure. The key aims of the strategy will include improving connectivity in the UK, increasing productivity and reducing carbon emissions. Our region needs to continue to cooperate and push the message for investment in the North East to take advantage of opportunities on this areas.

We will also continue to campaign for a connected North East including our Fast Track East Coast campaign for essential improvements to the East Coast Mainline.

The Budget will be crucial to see whether the Government commits to key infrastructure projects such as Northern Powerhouse Rail and HS2 with the Oakervee report into HS2 to be released soon.

We also expect to see an increased focus on the environment within this Budget, with plans for more energy efficient homes and investment in carbon capture, as well as sustainability playing an important role in decisions around transport spending.

In terms of housing we can expect reforms to shared ownership, and a housing infrastructure fund, to provide the roads and connections to schools and GPs to help support new housing developments.

As well as this we hope to learn more about plans for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in the Budget. The fund will act to replace EU structural funding once the UK has left the EU. It is vital that the region continues to have the same access to funding that has helped to fund developments such as Sunderland Software City and Business Central in Darlington.