26 February 2024
Today, the Department for Transport announced its plans regarding the reallocation of HS2 funding in the North and the Midlands. More here.
In response to this, Darren Caplan, Railway Industry Association Chief Executive, said: “Any investment in integrated transport networks is to be welcomed. However, the alternative Government plan for HS2 Phase 2 from Birmingham to Manchester does not consider the transport system in the long-term or address growing congestion and unreliable journeys in the North-South corridor between major cities, including on the West Coast Mainline.
“The Railway Industry Association and member suppliers will welcome the proposals should they move promptly and provided most of the £5bn allocation is spent on rail schemes. There is genuine concern, however, that Network North project business cases and timescales will mean that few rail schemes will be progressed any time soon.
“Recent analysis in the RIA-commissioned Steer report found that rail passenger numbers could double by 2050 while the UK population is projected to grow by 10% in the next decade. With Network North not delivering the scale of strategic capacity required by UK transport and rail networks in the future, the current plan risks holding back the country’s economy and connectivity in the future.”