MediaResponding to the news that the government is backing Northern powerhouse Rail, Sam Richards, CEO of pro-growth campaign group Britain Remade, said:
“The ambition of Northern Powerhouse Rail in making it easier to travel between the great towns and cities of Northern England is laudable. But without further planning reform, there is a big risk NPR will be a disastrous repeat of HS2: delayed, over-budget and cut back.
“While Britain may have given railways to the world, the world now builds them quicker and cheaper. HS2 is the world’s most expensive railway under construction costing more than twice as much as similar projects elsewhere. While the Elizabeth Line is a success in terms of passenger numbers, at £18bn it came with a huge price tag. Madrid on the other hand was able to build an entire metro-system for just £4bn.
“So the test isn’t which towns and cities get connected, it’s whether ministers will finally tackle the reasons infrastructure costs so much in Britain and takes so long to build: gold-plated specifications, endless redesigns, and a planning system that treats every new project as a bespoke legal battle.”