Transport plan to create 'One North' with new rail line and more than double road capacity

The cities say that rail travel across the Pennines is slow

The cities say that rail travel across the Pennines is slow

A new transport plan developed by five cities in northern England and presented to the Chancellor today calls for £15bn of investment to complement the HS2 proposals to create an interconnected 'One North'.

The report, One North: A Proposition for an Interconnected North was drawn up in response both to the challenge thrown down by HS2 chairman Sir David Higgins in his report HS2 Plus, and to the Chancellor's call for a 'northern powerhouse'.

Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Newcastle and Sheffield say the 15-year plan would provide 150% extra capacity on roads and 55% faster journey times on a more frequent rail network.

The report specifically calls for: a new trans-Pennine rail route, a faster rail link to Newcastle and bringing the HS2 extension to Crewe into phase one; a new 'super port' to increase volume by 70%; and extended managed motorways and increased capacity on links to ports and in "gaps" in the road network. 

Manchester City Council leader Sir Richard Leese said: "East-west journeys take almost twice as long as equivalent journeys in the south. Our rail links are slow and our motorways are congested, with an over-reliance on the M62. Addressing these limitations will require a co-ordinated approach to strategic planning and investment."

The cities pointed out that London is asking for £80bn in investment up to 2050.