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HS3 – links between Manchester and Leeds would improve, but disappointment for Liverpool

There has been a disappointed reaction on Merseyside to plans announced by the Prime Minister for a high-speed “HS3” rail link in the north of England.

The announcement follows a report by HS2 boss Sir David Higgins,outlining how better rail links in northern England were “desirable” and “possible”. Sir David was commissioned to look at ways of maximising the benefits of HS2.

The government said it would now focus on developing a strategy looking at options, costs and a delivery timetable for HS3. It is expected that a full report will be produced in March.

But Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson has described the announcements as “both disappointing and illogical.”

He said: “I am profoundly disappointed that despite a great deal of rhetoric about a Northern Powerhouse, this announcement offers no new connectivity or capacity to Liverpool. We are once again being by-passed by an investment that will fail to realise its supposed purpose.”

“Far from a One North Agenda the Government and HS2 Ltd and Government are putting forward a Two North solution which is excluding many of our northern cities and communities from the promise of greater economic prosperity.”

Mayor Anderson strongly supports the HS3 idea, but is adamant that it must go beyond the proposed Manchester / Leeds connection proposed.

He said: “Liverpool has to be an integral part of any meaningful HS3 project. We are the UK’s western trading gateway, and as David Higgins recognises, the transformational impact of our investment in the Liverpool 2 port expansion on the North’s freight-handling can only be achieved through additional rail capacity.

“A high speed line to Liverpool would give us that capacity, connect us to HS2 and be the logical first phase for HS3.

“We built the world’s first inter-city railway to Manchester nearly 200 years ago, and that link remains the obvious logical starting point for the creation of a Northern Powerhouse – two neighbouring cities, with close economic links, strong passenger demand and with the critical mass and global connectivity to rival London.

“I am absolutely determined over the coming months to make and develop Liverpool’s case. This is a vital cause and an argument that we must win.”

Welcoming the report, David Cameron said improving connectivity and reducing journey times was “crucial” to the government’s long-term economic plan for the north of England.

“These sort of decisions - decisions about our country and the future of rail - matter. They are not always popular. HS2 is not always popular. But I profoundly believe they are right,” he said.

He said that it was a “big flaw” of the original HS2 plans to miss east-west connections.

Journey times from Manchester to Leeds could be cut from 48 to 26 minutes.

The east-west improvements backed by Sir David would be in addition to the north-of-Birmingham phase two of HS2, which will see a Y-shaped route going from Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .