A total of 5,000 businesses of all sizes were asked for their view on the benefits to business of Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR), a £39bn transpennine rail line that would link to HS2, the hotly contested high-speed route from London to Leeds and Manchester via Birmingham. But northern businesses overwhelmingly support both HS2 and NPR, according to the findings set out in a report, Backing Northern Powerhouse Rail, by the law firm Addleshaw Goddard and the Northern Powerhouse Partnership thinktank. The research found:99% of firms believe NPR would raise productivity in the northern powerhouse zone. “It’s brilliant to see widespread business support for NPR and a recognition of the importance of linking it to HS2. The refinements include additional rail infrastructure and junctions between planned NPR and HS2 routes.

Source: The Guardian June 06, 2019 11:29 UTC