High Speed 2 is the planned railway linking London, Birmingham, the East Midlands, Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester. Although the first two phases of construction have been approved by Parliament, the details and route of the project have still not been formalised and are open to changes. Professor Nuno Gil urges the Government to accept that […]
Desperately seeking: why we need a leader for the Northern Powerhouse
George Osborne confirmed his commitment to the Northern Powerhouse by prioritising it so strongly in the recent Budget. But, says Mark Robinson, the initiative is in desperate need of a figurehead or strategic leadership to take it to the next level and stop it fizzling out. Lord Adonis and the National Infrastructure Commission have […]
Transport can be the driver for the Northern Powerhouse
The outgoing coalition government launched the Northern Transport Strategy just days before the start of the General Election campaign – surely no coincidence. Professor Graham Winch looks beyond the short-term politics to explain why the outlined investment is worth it. The just published Northern Transport Strategy aims to use better transport links in Northern England […]
Axeman Beeching’s myopia is cautionary lesson for HS2 policymakers
National bogeyman Dr Richard Beeching is not an obvious figure to turn to for inspiration, amid the white heat of the HS2 debate. But, writes Cameron Roberts, when it comes to the claims and counter-claims over cost-benefit estimates, his legacy warns us not to focus too narrowly on the economics. Complaining, as Colin Cram did […]