High speed rail has the potential to transform the economic landscape of this country.

The UK’s future economic success has always depended on its capacity to trade competitively with other countries, the USA, the emerging economies, and just as importantly with the rest of Europe. For Manchester that means we’re in the same marketplace as cities like Milan, Munich, Copenhagen. International and domestic connectivity will become an increasingly important influence on long-term success.  We have to rise to that challenge to secure the long-term investment that will get this country back to and keep it economically buoyant. To succeed, High Speed Rail isn’t an optional extra.

Opponents argue that instead of investing in High Speed Rail, we should be upgrading the existing network. But this isn’t an either/or situation. Looking at it from a Manchester perspective, we already have severe overcrowding in most of our commuter train services. Investment is required on the existing network, which is why Network Rail has identified the development of the Northern Hub as its number one priority. But this is investment for now. What about the next decade and the one after that. Can’t we just for once plan for the long-term future.

The West Coast Mainline is already overcrowded and in 10 years will have exhausted any spare capacity. A new, separate, high speed network will free up the capacity on the existing network and ensure that this country has railways that are fit for the 21st century and beyond. High Speed Rail not only allows faster journey times between the major cities of this country at the same time, removing the necessity for much domestic aviation, it also facilitates faster, more reliable and more environmentally-efficient local services.

High Speed Rail is expensive – transport infrastructure is – but it’s an investment that will ultimately be self-financing. Paris-Lyon opened in 1981 has paid for itself, and the new high-speed lines in Spain are the only profitable part of the Spanish rail network and have dramatically opened up the economies of a city like Zaragoza.

High Speed Rail generates wealth and jobs. For Manchester alone, there is the potential for HS2 to create 60,000 jobs. For Greater Manchester that rises to a quarter of a million. This job creation potential is replicated across the country.

The idea that High Speed Rail is some kind of white elephant is patent nonsense. The experience of similar networks across the world demonstrates beyond doubt that it is a catalyst of economic success. This is hardly cutting edge. Tokyo-Osaka opened in 1964 – 47 years ago. The fact is that this country – where railways began – has been left behind. This is more than embarrassing, undermining as it does the UK’s ability to compete effectively. We now have a once in a lifetime opportunity to right this wrong – and turn the vision of a viable, profitable and economically stimulating high-speed network into a reality linking Scotland, the north and the Midlands with each other and London and then to mainland Europe via HS1.

That is why I was proud to have joined the Progress-backed ‘Labour for High Speed Two campaign. Together we showed the party coming together to give growth a chance. Local parties from Manchester to Ashford passed motions in support of HS2; Labour groups on the east coast, west coast and in Scotland were working for a common cause of 21st  century connectivity and capacity;  individual party members signed petitions for a high-speed future; conference delegates were voting for the Community the union motion committing our party to the HS2 project and a manufacturing future. We now need the whole of the Labour party to get behind a high-speed future and a UK wide high-speed rail network.

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Sir Richard Leese is leader of Manchester city council

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Photo: Ian Britton