HS2 is supported wholeheartedly by Labour councils in the north east. Their MPs need to back it too:
Nick Forbes, Newcastle Councils leader was down in London yesterday. I did not discuss it with him when I saw him yesterday but todays story in the Journal is interesting.
The Journal reveals that he wrote to Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary Mary Creagh warning that the HS2 rail line was a “once-in-a-generation infrastructure investment for the whole of the UK, and, in particular, the North of England”.
But he said it needed “ongoing commitment from all the main political parties” to go ahead.
The letter is part of a campaign by Labour leaders in England’s major cities who are increasingly worried that Labour’s sudden U-turn over the project known as High Speed Two or HS2 is putting it at risk.
Gordon Brown’s government announced in 2010 that it was committed to building a new high-speed rail line.
But Labour now says it is not convinced the line should be built - even if costs don’t rise any higher than the current budget of £42.2bn, which includes £28.2bn for the line and £14.4bn in contingency funding.
In his letter to Ms Creagh, seen by the Journal, Coun Forbes urged her “to give a very clear commitment to the growth and rebalancing of the UK economy which HS2 will bring”.
He said: “HS2 will bring economic regeneration and opportunity to cities and regions across the UK, in particular driving growth outside of London and the South East - making best use of what cities and regions across the UK have to offer.”
He urged her: “In the Core Cities we are already doing our bit but councils and businesses need to move forward with confidence in the future of HS2. So, I urge you to give the clearest commitment that we can all plan for future, sustainable growth supported by HS2 and wider transport investment.”
The HS2 line would run from London to Birmingham and then to Manchester and Leeds.
Trains from Leeds would transfer to the East Coast Main Line and continue to Darlington and Newcastle.
More details here:
http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/newcastle-city-council-leader-urges-6254050
