A thorough reassessment of the Government Integrated Rail Plan is essential to ensure this investment in rail is not a missed opportunity

A thorough reassessment of the Government Integrated Rail Plan is essential to ensure this once-in-a-generation investment in rail is not a missed opportunity to address regional imbalances, the House of Lords transport committee is urging

The Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands report says that alternative options, which could transform stations and city centres in key Northern cities, have not been properly tested. Leaving out key elements of analysis of the wider economic impacts of the different options set out for Northern Powerhouse Rail means that value for money and economic return cannot be compared and validated.

The Committee called for a full analysis of the wider economic impacts, and a full benefit-cost ratio, for the different Northern Powerhouse Rail options. If the results demonstrate that other options offer better value and outcomes for the taxpayer, economy and the communities directly impacted, MPs say Government ‘must grasp the nettle’ and make the necessary changes.

The revised Eastern leg of HS2 Phase 2b will see the Birmingham to Leeds route terminate at East Midlands Parkway. HS2 Limited was unable to tell the Committee how much the revised leg would cost. As a result, the Committee calls on the Department for Transport to publish an updated benefit-cost ratio for the entire HS2 project, including a direct comparison between the original and revised Eastern leg of HS2 Phase 2b, by March 2023.

The original purpose of Northern Powerhouse Rail – to connect the ‘great cities of the north to build a northern powerhouse’ – is at risk. Some towns and cities have already been disappointed by decisions, says the report, which looks at the implications for Leeds and Bradford in particular. Work is urgently needed to demonstrate the Government’s commitment to high-speed connections to Leeds. MPs also ask Government to commit to supporting the redevelopment of the city’s station by 2035.

The Committee is concerned that the case for the IRP is based on a best-case scenario which ‘may not come to pass.’ The promised journey times may not be feasible and the issue of how to increase track capacity, including for local services and freight, has been overlooked.

Transport for the North wholeheartedly welcomes today’s report from the House of Commons Transport Committee which calls for the government to reassess its plans for rail investment in the North and Midlands.

Transformation of the rail network is at the heart of realising the North’s economic potential, of connecting people to opportunities and making real progress in decarbonising our transport system. As the report says “upgrading lines will bring modest benefits, but not to the transformational extent needed to end regional imbalances.”

Martin Tugwell, Chief Executive of Transport for the North, said:

“This report is a vindication of what TfN has been calling for some time. London and the South East has seen vast sums spent on HS1, the first phase of HS2, on the new Elizabeth Line, and the Thameslink upgrade. Meanwhile the North’s ageing and creaking rail network has had little in the way of new infrastructure or expansion of services. And yet the North’s railway has recovered faster and stronger than the rest of the country, a sure sign of not only how important it is to our economy now but of its potential to be the catalyst for further growth.

Martin Tugwell (4)
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“Our plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail are fully-costed and have a robust evidence base to underpin them – they will provide a good return on their investment by allowing the North to break free of the constraints that have held back our economy for too long.

“In particular we are very pleased that the committee has asked for the government to reconsider the case for a new station in Bradford. We have long believed that this investment is vital to unlock the potential of this great Northern city, whose people are underserved by their location on a branch line off the Leeds-Manchester route. And we fully support the committee’s call for an underground station at Manchester to be re-examined and to commit to the redevelopment of Leeds Station. Cities like Liverpool, Sheffield, Hull and Newcastle also deserve substantial investment so they are not left behind.

“As the report says it is vital that this once-in-a-generation opportunity is not missed. We look forward to working with the government to build on this report and re-examine the case for transformational investment in the North. We say to the government: We’ve done the work together. Now let’s get on and deliver for the North and Midlands together.”

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