14.02.14
HS2 station in Stoke could aid economic rebalancing
Stoke-on-Trent’s proposed route and station for HS2 could help to rebalance the north and south economies, council leaders have suggested.
The city has submitted plans to the government’s consultation on the route between Birmingham and Manchester detailing a high speed station that could double the size of Stoke’s economy and provide wider connectivity benefits across the whole region.
The proposed route, which would go along the upgraded West Coast Main Line from Stone to Manchester, could save up to £5bn from the costs of the project and allow trains to run through to Manchester up to seven years earlier, the council claims.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council leader Mohammed Pervez said: “The central challenge laid down by the HS2 Taskforce is to use the enhanced connectivity which high speed rail offers to help rebalance the economy by dramatically shortening the distance between suppliers and regional, national and international markets.
“We know that our proposal will do that, but it will also go much further. Creating an international high speed rail station in Stoke-on-Trent is an important step in terms of national economic rebalancing because of our city’s strategic position and its vast potential for expansion.”
A recent Centre for Cities report has highlighted the disparity between London and the regions.
Pervez said: “The report makes it clear that high speed rail on its own will not be enough to enable the Midlands and the North to compete on equal terms with London for the fruits of economic recovery.
“However, I believe that our proposals for an international high speed rail interchange connecting us to Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool will put Stoke-on-Trent at the centre of a powerful economic super-region which can begin to counter London’s inexorable pull on resources, jobs and talent.
“We are determined to put Stoke-on-Trent at the heart of a rebalanced UK economy. Our vision for a high speed rail line into the city, with an international station here in Stoke-on-Trent, is truly game-changing.
“HS2 needs to serve the regional economies, not bypass them. The improved regional, national and international connectivity will supercharge economic growth in our city and the wider region.
“The resulting inward investment and expansion will enable Stoke-on-Trent to capitalise on the growing momentum of innovation and improvement to claim our rightful place as an independent, forward-looking and prosperous city.”
Cities Outlook author and Centre for Cities senior economist Paul Swinneyadded: “Successful city centres attract knowledge-intensive services and businesses, such as those in software design, law and finance, because these businesses benefit from the proximity to clients, competitors and collaborators that a city centre can provide.
“Globalisation means that the UK economy is increasingly likely to specialise in these industries. This means that city centre economies are likely to become ever more important to the success of the national economy.
“For this reason public investment should aim to improve the ability of city centres like Stoke-on-Trent’s to attract businesses and to grow. This investment should focus not only on buildings, but also on transport connections, digital infrastructure, and the skills of the local workforce.
“The building of any new rail stations to serve a city, therefore, should ideally be located within, or as close as is practicably possible, to city centres. Improving the connectivity of our city centres is an important element of making them good locations to do business.”
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