The Prime Minister is right- HS2 billions will be better spent on other projects.
Now is an ideal time for the Government to take positive action that can transform transport, making use of existing infrastructure and therefore cutting capital costs.
At a time when the focus is on value for money, I am pleased the Government is now looking into fully utilising the country’s existing resources, rather than pouring extra billions into the second leg of High Speed 2.
Reviving existing railway lines has the ability to improve lives for people across the whole country, and rather than connecting major cities that already have links, bring effective public transport to areas that have been cut off from the transport grid for decades.
Towns are the place most of us call home and where most of us go to work. But politicians have always taken towns for granted and focused on our cities.
Today's announcement marks a new epoch in British transport infrastructure and I want to see a commitment to invest in the full reopening of the Leamside Line which would greatly benefit communities such as Ferryhill.
Better access to jobs and education will change the lives of local people as well as take many more people out of their cars and onto more sustainable methods of public transport. I will continue to work with colleagues from all parties and none to pursue our case for the line’s reopening.
The Leamside Line is a vital connection for our region that would help to address capacity constraints on the East Coast Main Line and provide enhanced local connections to employment and educational opportunities.
Reallocating a small fraction of the the money from HS2 to reopen the Leamside Line would go a long way to addressing the disparity between the amount per head spent on transport funding in the North East compared to other areas of the country – it’s gone on for long enough