Power to the North with High-Speed rail link

George Osborne said that the high-speed rail link is the key to create a “northern global powerhouse.”

12:45 23 June 2014

George Osborne has depended government project for the high-speed rail link against critics saying that it is important in order to create “northern global powerhouse.” The project, which will cost the government up to £7bn, would allow cities across northern England from Liverpool to Hull “to take on the world” as London did, the chancellor added. 

 

Mr Osborne told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that although cities in the North of England are individually strong, they are not “collectively strong enough.” 

 

"We need an ambitious plan to make the cities and towns here in this northern belt radically more connected from east to west - to create the equivalent of travelling around a single global city.

 

"I want us to start thinking about whether to build a new high-speed rail connection east-west from Manchester to Leeds."

 

He added that it was not “healthy for our economy, not good for our country” if “the powerhouse of London dominates more and more. 

 

Meanwhile, shadow chancellor Mr Balls, reacted to the news saying: "On high-speed rail, we said months ago that we need value for money for the taxpayer and to improve the existing plans to maximise the benefits for the whole country, and strengthen the links between northern cities. Ministers need finally to start listening."