Conference says HS2 will boost regional economies

The conference, organised by PTRC Educations and Research Services (a company within The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (UK), attracted more than 75 delegates who heard and joined in discussion with a range of experts from Manchester and West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executives, Local Enterprise Partnerships and from economists who demonstrated how their regions are planning and preparing for the arrival of HS2 as part of regional economic and spatial plans.

Giving the keynote speech was Transport Minister, Robert Goodwill. He said that Britain had a "proud record” of building new products but that "HS2 is the biggest” and that it would help rebalance the British economy and argued that "nothing else will provide Britain with the space it needs to grow and prosper. And nothing else will offer the same benefits for our cities and regions.”

The Minister said that HS2 will create 2,000 apprenticeships and heralds the opening of the new National College for High Speed Rail College in Birmingham and Doncaster.

He believes it would help encourage an economic focus and stimulus away from London to the regions as part of helping to rebalance the economy. He cited how the regions are already preparing – for instance, in Birmingham, the local LEP is developing an HS2 strategy that will help create 14,000 jobs.

Mr Goodwill asserted how HS2 coincides with regional transport investment role: the Northern Powerhouse strategy and the £15 billion worth of investment in rail and roads.  All this would help ensure HS2’s ‘fabric’ is driven into the local economy he said.

Leading rail expert and HS2 advocate, Jim Steer, advised that "a railway is not a strategy”, he argued that HS2 is about bringing economic benefits by joining up all modes and economic benefits through increased productivity, bringing people and businesses closer together and delivering positive change to regional growth.

High speed rail would, he said, "support a pattern of sustainable development across Britain”.

Reduced journey times and the jobs that the project will generate will link more people to more jobs and businesses and a greater number of commercial opportunities. However, success will depend on providing good quality local transport coupled with broader economic interventions and planning to encourage new housing, employment and wealth creation opportunities.