News High Speed Rail Link
Leeds looking likely to get a fast rail link to London - but work won’t start for another seven years
News: High Speed Rail Link
A whitepaper was published today recommending plans for a rail link that could see journey times between Leeds, Sheffield and London reduced to 75 minutes. The transport secretary Lord Adonis gave Labour’s backing to the £30bn project and corroborated Network Rail’s comment that the link would cause economic growth and boost employment, saying the project was likely to bring in £2 of profit for every £1 spent and could create 50,000 jobs in Yorkshire.
Reports say the link would increase national economic output by £17bn and £29bn by 2040, with the greatest economic impacts in the north. Chief executive at Leeds, York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce Gary Williamson has said the next major development must be getting all the major political parties to commit to ensuring the link to Yorkshire is built.
The proposed link will see 250mph trains connect the London Euston terminus to Scotland and the north of England on a Y-shaped network that will cross to Birmingham and then straddle the Pennines on either side, taking in Manchester and Liverpool to the west, Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle to the east. One of these lines would be extended to take in Glasgow and Edinburgh, bringing the journey to time to London down to three and a half hours. Passenger Focus chief executive, Anthony Smith said if the network can provide fast frequent services and attractive fares, it could revolutionise inter-city rail travel.
Construction on the 335 miles of track will begin in 2017 with the London to Birmingham route already planned but set to go to public consultation. Concerns have already been raised about the planned route through the Chilterns, author Terry Pratchet having already voiced concerns over the damage the high speed trains could do to the countryside of his childhood home. It is thought that consensus on the route will not be reached in the current climate running up to the general elections. The major parties are behind the initial scheme although the Conservative party have pledged to start construction in 2015, should they be in power.
Posted on Saturday 1st January 2000
Sophie Kemp
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