The High Speed Rail Group has made a submission to the HM Treasury Spending Review consultation that identifies and advocates for a cost efficient and deliverable path forward for HS2. The focus is on maximising HS2’s concession value at minimum viable scope and cost, which will maximise the project’s economic Read more…
Our report Driving Investment in Rail Infrastructure outlines the critical steps needed to develop a comprehensive long-term rail infrastructure strategy that actively engages the investment community and explores a broad range of funding options, including those that harness private investment. As the acute need for investment into rail has grown, Read more…
We have publicly warned Treasury against making ill-advised short term savings on HS2 at the taxpayer’s expense in the medium to long term, arguing that if HS2 is extended to Euston in central London and north of Birmingham to Crewe, the Government can generate substantial returns via its concession value Read more…
We welcome the NIC’s latest Infrastructure Progress Review, which explicitly calls for a new long-term plan for rail to address capacity and connectivity issues on the network following the cancellation of HS2’s northern leg. Government’s failure to implement plans for HS2 that have carefully negotiated the Parliamentary approval process is Read more…
Our latest report states that a comprehensive long-term strategy to develop the UK’s inter urban rail network is essential for future economic growth and achieving net zero. The report urges political figures on all sides to look beyond HS2 and take a fresh approach in order to maximise the vast Read more…
Economic analysis of the areas close to HS2’s three hubs in the West Midlands – Curzon Street Station in central Birmingham, Interchange Station in Solihull, and the Washwood Heath Depot and Network Integrated Control Centre – shows dramatic increases in regeneration and investment in the last six years. Since Royal Read more…
Our submission to the Public Accounts Committee focuses on the importance of ensuring the HS2 line terminates at Euston without delay, without compromising HS2’s operational integrity and without burdening the project with ill-judged private sector funding arrangements. It also sets out why abandoning HS2 Phase 2a would represent poor value Read more…
HS2 delivers economic growth HS2 is essential for regeneration and job creation, as well as improving Britain’s international competitiveness – all of which bring higher levels of economic productivity and growth. HS2 can transform Midlands and Northern cities by effectively bringing them ‘closer’ to each other. This will make it Read more…
In 2022 the High Speed Rail Group recruited a Taskforce of industry and academic experts to inform a report setting out new analysis of how high speed rail can reach Scotland, and how it will benefit inter-city travel. The report – High Speed Britain Scottish Inter-City Connectivity – contains recent Read more…
Hs2 Ltd has released a report – HS2 in the West Midlands – which sets out the benefits that the project is delivering today, to businesses, people and communities across the West Midlands, which include: Over the last six years, HS2 has awarded over £1.7bn worth of contracts to West Read more…