Alexandra Jones, the thinktank’s chief executive, said: “We can’t build a successful northern powerhouse without stronger, more productive cities. The HS3 rail link proposal to speed up east-west connections between the major northern cities is a key part of the government’s plan to redress the UK’s economic imbalances. The thinktank said that 47% of people living in Reading had a degree, compared with only a quarter of Liverpool’s residentsImprove transport links within northern cities, rather than between them. Cities in the north of England must become more productive if the chancellor is to realise his vision of a so-called “northern powerhouse”, a thinktank has said. It pointed out that intercity commuter rail links in Rhine-Ruhr and Randstad were actually little better than those in the north of England.

Source: The Guardian May 31, 2016 22:52 UTC