Research and Reports

HS2 North: Redesigning our Railways

The Northern Powerhouse Partnership - October 2019 Cancelling HS2 could seriously damage the potential to deliver £1,008 billion for the North’s economy. The Northern Powerhouse Partnership’s independent review states that the HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail schemes could generate an aggregate gross value added prize to the region in excess of £1,000bn between 2035-50. The review reports that cancellation of either the eastern and/or western legs of HS2 Phase 2b without a credible alternative would leave no way to secure the economic competitiveness required in the North, which it says is a pre-requisite of rebalancing the UK’s economy. It also warns that the North will not accept waiting until 2040 for HS2 to connect its cities to Birmingham and London, and that work should therefore start immediately on upgrading other parts of the network. The creation of an HS2 North special-purpose vehicle is also recommended to work with the private sector to integrate the new railways.