- minister kicks off series of virtual meetings with key
leaders from across the north and Midlands
- representatives to discuss HS2, Northern Powerhouse Rail
(NPR) and Midlands Engine Rail
- roundtables to focus on ensuring priorities of the whole
country are central to the integrated rail plan, set to be
published at the end of the year
HS2 Minister is hosting a series of
virtual meetings with leaders from across the north and Midlands,
ensuring regional representatives can voice their priorities for
the integrated rail plan (IRP) and the current plans for HS2,
Northern Powerhouse rail (NPR) and Midlands Engine Rail.
As part of the decision to proceed with
HS2 announced in February (2020), the government has
committed to drawing up an integrated rail plan, informed by an
assessment from the National Infrastructure
Commission, in order to look at how to deliver
transformational rail improvements to the north and Midlands as
quickly as possible, whilst driving down unnecessary costs and
over-specification.
The roundtables, which form one part of the engagement process,
will seek the views of local authorities, metro mayors, local
enterprise partnerships and chambers of commerce.
Over the next 2 weeks, the minister, along with HS2 Ltd and
Network Rail officials, will meet with 70 representatives from
The North West, North East, Yorkshire, East and West Midlands,
with further roundtable events set to take place later in the
year.
HS2 minister said:
Our plan for a better connected country and for stronger
regional economies is best realised with the voices of all of
our towns and cities at the table.
Even as we work to tackle COVID-19, these meetings will ensure
we do not lose momentum on developing the vital infrastructure
needed for the future as quickly as possible.
I am determined to ensure each region’s voice is heard as we
develop our integrated rail plan, to help deliver a
coordinated, pragmatic strategy best suited to the needs of
communities across the north and Midlands.
The integrated rail plan will set out how to efficiently deliver
rail investments to best suit the needs of those in the Midlands
and north in an integrated way, and will be published at the end
of the year. It will also have a focus on ensuring that lessons
are learned from phase 1 of HS2 to drive down costs.
