We welcome the launch of the Rail and Urban Transport Review by Juergen Maier and the Urban Transport Group. The report echoes our recently published 5-point plan, rightly emphasising the need for a comprehensive North-South and East-West travel strategy, as well as the critical importance of engaging the infrastructure investment community to explore all funding options.
The review makes clear that the current situation following the cancellation of HS2’s northern leg is unsustainable. However, labelling the Euston to Crewe stretch as a ‘matter for another day’ risks large abandonment costs and will worsen problems on the West Coast Main Line for years to come.
We therefore urge the Government to act swiftly on the Handsacre – Crewe link. The structures are in place to get this off the ground right away and doing so will avoid a catastrophic bottleneck on services beyond Birmingham and deliver a transport network that focuses on value for money, connectivity, and capacity.