HS2 "vital" say regional business leaders - The Rugby Observer

HS2 "vital" say regional business leaders

Rugby Editorial 16th Oct, 2019   0

BUSINESS leaders in six regions say HS2 is “vital” to the UK’s future prosperity.

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) regional chairs from the West Midlands – which includes the Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull region – East Midlands, Yorkshire and Humber, London, the North East, and North West have all signed up to their first joint statement calling for the government to back and build HS2.

This unusual step comes ahead of the government review of HS2 expected this week and in response to news that HS2 could be scrapped.

The statement reads: “HS2 is vital to the UK’s future prosperity. It will directly connect 8 of Britain’s 10 largest cities and improve connections across the whole of the rail network.




“Businesses need HS2 to be built in its entirety, linking the East and West of the country as well as bringing the North and Midlands closer together.

“A scaled back version of HS2 will not deliver the improved connectivity across the country that businesses are crying out for.”


The CBI Regional Council claim HS2 will create half a million jobs, stimulate house-building along its route and support much-needed investment across the Midlands, North and beyond.

Their unequivocal message for the entire route is “back it, build it, benefit from it.”

“It is the critical spine that will bring wider transport improvements like Northern Powerhouse Rail and the Midlands Rail Hub to life.

“With the costs and benefits of HS2 under review, we feel it is important to make clear that only this project can deliver the connections and growth that the UK needs,” the joint statement continues.

In response to the CBI statement Stop HS2, hit back.

Joe Rukin, campaign manager, said: “In calling for the government to scrap the long overdue scrutiny of this project, the CBI have lost all credibility. It is exactly this sort of ‘let’s just get on with it, no matter what the cost’ attitude which has led to the complete mismanagement of the project, the rampant cost escalation, the abandonment of all original timescales and a complete lack of support from the general public.

“Yet again an organisation which is acting as a mouthpiece from the vested interest construction sector who intend to cash in billions from building HS2 has simply invented illusionary benefits in an act of desperation to stop this project being cancelled.”

Penny Gaines, chair of Stop HS2, added: “In the last two months it has been revealed that HS2 is vastly over-budget and massively behind schedule and yet the CBI are refusing to acknowledge that there are any downsides to the project.

“Part of the review was to look at alternatives to the existing program schedule for HS2, and this have been dismissed out of hand by the vested interest lobbyists at the CBI, With a price tag of £80 billion and rising,any suggestion that the scope whould actually be increased is laughable. HS2 is simply the wrong project for the country.”

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