London needs HS2
The Government’s announcement of its preferred route for the 211-mile northern phase two route of HS2 has been welcomed by London’s business voice.
London First said the announcement of the next phase of the £32bn high-speed rail network is “great news for London and the UK”.
The 140-mile preferred route will run northwards from Birmingham with five stops: Manchester; Manchester Airport; Toton in the East Midlands; Sheffield; and Leeds.
Baroness Jo Valentine, Chief Executive of London First, said:
“A well-functioning rail network with new connections, greater capacity and faster journeys will not only support London's economy but also provide benefits to the UK as a whole.
“It increases the viability of the HS2 project and will enable many northern cities to benefit from easier access to the engine room of the UK economy.
"It is essential that to go hand in hand with this there is more investment in developing the London terminus at Euston Station.
“HS2 must be integrated properly with current major transport developments such as Crossrail, HS1 and planned ones such as Crossrail 2.
“Central London's rail and underground networks are heavily congested, and we need committed resources to boost the commuting capacity over the coming decade and to have co-ordinated transport improvement.”
HS2’s 140-mile southern phase one route between London and Birmingham, starts construction in four years and opens to passengers in 13 years. The routes announced today, running from Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds, will open six years after that.
