West Yorkshire Economic Growth Brexit Wrangling Threatens HS2 Delays Parliament

The Brexit parliamentary process could hold up efforts to deliver the northern leg of High Speed 2, a senior executive at the project has warned. 

Lorna Pimlott, Director of Sponsorship & Policy for Phase 2 of HS2 told delegates at our West Yorkshire Economic Growth Conference that the hybrid bill for the Birmingham to Crewe section of the fast rail link is due to go to the House of Lords in January. And she said the legislation for the 2B routes to Leeds and Manchester, which she described as the “biggest ever hybrid bill”, is due to enter Parliament in 2020.

However the bills, which are designed to pave the way for the construction of the line’s northern legs, could be crowded out by Brexit-related legislation, Pimlott said: “The biggest threat is delay. It will make our time in Parliament difficult. The real biggie is making sure that we keep on schedule.”
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But the new line would open economic opportunities for the north, Pimlott said: “Access to new markets will be vital so that we can compete: HS2 will enable us to reduce times and compete globally.”

The event also heard calls for the government to approve the ‘One Yorkshire’ devolution deal in order to enable England’s biggest historic county to keep pace with other regions. Councils across Yorkshire have been pushing for a single deal following the unravelling of packages for west and south Yorkshire.

Steve Harris, Regional Director for Yorkshire and the North East at Lloyds Banking Group, said greater devolution would help to improve decision making: “One of the barriers to economic growth is not having people closer to decisions. We can’t afford to keep falling behind. Other regions that have devolution are cracking on and getting investment. It’s important that we get it sorted out and quickly.”

Pete Massey, Director for the North at the Arts Council, said devolution is necessary because areas lacking it are ‘missing out on investment”. He said: “It is clear that mayors have a strategic vision and we are losing out.”

Cllr Tim Swift, Leader of Calderdale Council, said that while developing a devolution deal for Yorkshire is “challenging”, it must be delivered.  But in the absence of a West Yorkshire devolution deal the quality of partnership within the region had improved, he said.

Jacqui Gedman, Chief Executive of Kirklees Council, said that West Yorkshire had seen a growing recognition of the importance of partnership over the last two years since the collapse of the region’s devolution deal: “Over the last two years, organisations have been coming together to do what’s right for the region.”

Shelagh O’Neill, Director of Economy & Development at Bradford Council, said: “If we don’t harness the energy of young people it will become a problem.
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