Business Letter to Chancellor on Midlands/North Rail Link

Northern Powerhouse Partnership has coalesced a group of influential business leaders and university vice-chancellors who have sent an open letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves. The letter urges her to prioritise the Midlands to North Rail Link project in her upcoming budget on October 30 and is signed by key figures from the business community across the North and Midlands, including Katy Dowding, CEO of Skanska UK, Jessica Bowles, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Bruntwood and Vice Chair of The Northern Powerhouse Partnership, and Ian Smyth, Group CEO of Electricity North West.

In the letter, the coalition of business leaders express strong support for the rail link initiative, launched last month by the Mayors of Greater Manchester and the West Midlands. They stress that the project is not merely a transportation upgrade but a strategic investment that could unlock up to £70 billion in economic growth annually. Through connecting Birmingham directly to the Northern Powerhouse Rail network, they expect the link would strengthen the ties that exist between the Midlands and Northern cities such as Liverpool, Manchester, and Leeds, ensuring that economic benefits are more evenly distributed across regions which have been overlooked in past infrastructure strategies.

The letter also places an emphasis on the cost-effectiveness of the Midlands to North Rail Link, arguing it could deliver 85% of the benefits of HS2 Phase 2b at just 60-75% of the cost. They argue that this alignment with the government’s priorities for economic stability and fiscal responsibility makes it a timely and necessary investment. 

Read the full letter below: