Business and civic leaders back HS2 station plans

“IT hasn’t been easy,” said HS2 chairman Sir David Higgins, on finding a consensus for the development of HS2 plans in Yorkshire.

Ambitious plans for the redevelopment of Leeds railway station have called for a Yorkshire Hub as part of a remodeling of the railway station, which sees 27.8m passengers pass through a year, a figure which is expected to increase by 114% in the next 30 years.

Business and civic leaders have backed the recommendations by Sir David Higgins for the integration of HS2 platforms into an expanded single-site solution:

West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, Leeds Chamber president Gerald Jennings, said:Gerald Jennings with Sir David Higgins, HS2 chairman

“This truly is a once in a hundred year opportunity and we have to be ambitious.

“A single station will not only benefit Leeds but the entire region and provide the integration and connectivity which will maximise economic benefit.

“Clearly there is still much work to do but there is now a huge opportunity to think about creating breath-taking sense of arrival and make more of the waterfront around a new and improved central station.”

 Paul Hirst of Addleshaw Goddard said:

“John Cridland’s appointment as chairman of TFN is a welcome decision given his current role at the CBI. This could be instrumental in unifying the voice of businesses behind the TFN strategy which will be key to making the economic case for investment over the next 6 – 12 months and beyond.”

Roger Marsh, Chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership and a former member of the HS2 Growth Taskforce said:

“Today’s announcement of the creation of a “Yorkshire Hub” in Leeds is great news for the whole of Leeds City Region.

 

“Along with other partners, a one station solution for Leeds is something I lobbied long and hard for when I was a member of the national HS2 Growth Taskforce. As well as heralding significant new investment and jobs in the region, by integrating the new HS2 station with the existing regional and Transpennine network this announcement is also a major boost to our ambition of creating the intra-regional, inter-city and international transport links that our City Region needs to become globally competitive and realise its full economic potential.”

 

Councillor Keith Wakefield, transport committee chairman, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, said:Keith Wakefield of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority

“Integrating the HS2 station with our existing station will provide a seamless interchange between high speed and classic rail services – and importantly, will allow through trains to enhance services to the city region and beyond.

“This will connect the major cities of Bradford, York and Wakefield, and significant towns such as Halifax, Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Harrogate and Selby, into the national high-speed network, with all the benefits for jobs, skills, business opportunities and investment it will bring.”

Councillor Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds City Council said:

“We have noted the acceleration in the timetable announced for the HS2 line to Crewe and we will continue to press for the building of the eastern leg to be similarly advanced to ensure the benefits of high-speed rail can be felt across the whole of the north as soon as possible.

“Accelerating the pace of construction and building from the north continue to be priorities for partners across the city region; as is the need for investment and ongoing improvements to make Leeds Station better for the thousands of passengers using it today.”

 

Click here to sign up to receive our new South West business news...
Close