I am committed to tackling inequalities and promoting ‘good’ economic growth – growth that supports wider social and environmental objectives. That means having a fairer and more equal UK economy, one that gives everyone the opportunity to access education, employment and essential services.
Newcastle, nearly 300 miles north of London, is often seen as peripheral to the current drivers of British economic development. The north-east’s geography means that our region needs excellent connectivity between core cities, with good rail, road, air and sea connections that support growth and connectivity with other regions of the UK.
I see high speed rail as a way of redressing the overreliance that we have on London and the south-east. Providing the infrastructure that brings the country closer together, in a sustainable way, benefits us all. We need to close the north-south divide and refocus our economy more towards encouraging manufacturing and tourism and less towards the financial and service sectors. Economically, high speed rail is expected to benefit the UK economy to the tune of £44bn; creating jobs, strengthening the economy, and enabling the UK to increase its competitiveness in a globalised marketplace.
The proposed Y-shaped network from London to Birmingham and then to Manchester and Leeds can do more to benefit the north-east and Scotland. Newcastle already has one train to London that takes 2h 37mins; we want journey times that are quicker than this to be the norm, not the exception. I want to see the northeast directly connected to the high speed network and to achieve this we need to push forward now with strong and decisive leadership.
In terms of capacity, demand for intercity rail journeys is booming. Forecasts indicate that our three major rail routes from London to the Midlands, north and Scotland will reach full capacity during the mid 2020s. This increasing demand cannot be met by further enhancements to existing north-south lines. The only effective solution will be to build additional capacity. Building new lines releases capacity on existing ones and allows us to expand freight journeys, local journeys and journeys that cross the country.
From a sustainability viewpoint, high speed rail will provide reduced carbon emissions per passenger compared to road and air. As the network extends, there will be a significant transfer of passengers from air to rail, particularly for intra-regional journeys.
Newcastle International airport is an important economic asset for the northeast, and we will continue to support it in maintaining slots to London. But the development of high speed rail will also be critical for businesses and tourists in the region for connectivity across the mainland and to Europe via the Channel Tunnel.
We need to have a national discussion on a future high speed rail network and I am determined to ensure that Newcastle and the north-east is fully represented in putting forward our case. I believe the opportunities presented by high speed rail in the UK significantly outweigh the challenges associated with its delivery. High speed rail is essential to the future prosperity and sustainability of the UK and has the potential to revolutionise and rebalance the UK economy by bringing cities closer together.
In the 1940s and 1950s, we took a bold decision to build a motorway network bringing cities closer together and now we need similar boldness. Do we want the UK to stand still while other countries are developing high speed rail? It’s not a case of if – it’s a case of when.
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Nick Forbes is leader of Newcastle city council