Sadiq Khan joins Andy Burnham and Northern mayors in HS2 plea
27.09.2023 - 06:17
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Five Labour mayors including Andy Burnham have warned failure to deliver in full on HS2 would 'leave swathes of the North with Victorian transport infrastructure unfit for purpose'.
Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, and the Greater Manchester mayor were joining Tracy Brabin, Oliver Coppard and Steve Rotheram today in Leeds to issue a joint plea to the Prime Minister not to cut HS2 further.
Ahead of the meeting, they issued a shared statement to express dismay at the prospect of the UK Government scrapping the rail project's northern leg to Manchester.
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The joint statement revealed the five mayors have been 'inundated' with concerns from constituents about the potential 'economic damage that will result from any decision not to proceed with HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) in full'.
The statement said: "Investment in transport infrastructure is a huge driver of economic growth – creating jobs, increasing productivity and opening up new business opportunities. HS2 and NPR will deliver this right across our regions.
"This government has said repeatedly that it is committed to levelling up in the Midlands and North. Failure to deliver HS2 and NPR will leave swathes of the North with Victorian transport infrastructure that is unfit for purpose and cause huge economic damage in London and the South, where construction of the line has already begun."
The five mayors urged the Northern Powerhouse Rail project to be delivered in full to ensure “not only North-South but West-East connectivity between