Spatial Effects of High Speed Rail Media
Financial Times, Mark Odell – 20 October 2013
HS2 can help boost growth if planned properly, says think-tank
(Subscription required) The HS2 rail project can act as a catalyst for regional development but only if it is accompanied by smaller schemes to improve local transport links, says Britain’s leading transport think-tank. The first significant non-partisan study of HS2’s economic impact urges the government to frame the £50bn high-speed project as a national debate about growth and to put in place the investment needed to support regional development. The findings by the Independent Transport Commission should provide some relief to ministers.
The Guardian, Gwyn Topham and Dominic Smith – 23 November 2014
Rail, road and bus spending is the way to bridge the north-south divide
The HS2 high-speed line, due in 2033, is helping to drive debate over the future shape of northern infrastructure. Sir David Higgins, the chairman of HS2, warns that its benefits will only accrue if it is fully integrated into the wider network, and specifically highlights the paucity of existing northern links. Cities on the route have high hopes, inspired by a report from the Independent Transport Commission that highlights the catalytic regeneration effects high speed rail has had around stations in Europe.
The Star, Ellen Beardmore – 21 November 2014
New HS2 report ‘highlights’ need for Sheffield city centre station
The Independent Transport Commission has published a report into the regeneration and connectivity benefits of the European HSR network. It draws on examples such as Rotterdam Central station in Amsterdam and Gare de Lyon in Paris to show how they improved transport links and encouraged development.
City A.M., James Nickerson – 16 May 2016
British cities and regions should seize the opportunity provided by HS2 to generate economic growth, according to a new report. The study by the Independent Transport Commission found that there could be social and economic benefits brought by HS2, and that British cities should jump on the once-in-a-generation public infrastructure investment project to propel growth.
The Yorkshire Post – 16 May 2016
Transport links could be hit by mayoral deal
Andrew Adonis, who was handed the NIC role by George Osborne in October 2015 to counter longstanding suggestions that infrastructure investment is biased in favour of the capital, has reportedly been offered a key role by Boris Johnson’s successor Sadiq Khan, the newly-elected Mayor of London… Meanwhile a report by the Independent Transport Commission (ITC) lays out a number of key recommendations to help Leeds and other cities maximise on the economic and urban growth potential HS2 will bring.
The Yorkshire Post, Aisha Iqbal – 16 May 2016
A transport system to truly unite the cities of the North into a single political powerhouse and give London and other European metropoles a run for their money. But a transport system that ultimately has its users at its heart, and will galvanise public confidence. That’s the double dream that Leeds and its neighbours should be aiming for as the journey to HS2 gathers pace, experts and policymakers have been told. They were meeting earlier today (Monday) at Leeds Town Hall for the launch of a major report investigating how the Government’s planned HS2 high-speed rail link will shape the country’s cities and regions.
Yorkshire Evening Post – 16 May 2016
Commission urges cities to plan for HS2
Cities need to plan now to enjoy the benefits of the proposed HS2 rail line, according to a report to be launched in Leeds today (Monday). The Independent Transport Commission thinktank warns high speed rail alone will not have a major impact on the economy and cities need to have plans in place that maximise the benefits.
Yorkshire Post, James Reed – 20 November 2014
Report calls for Yorkshire cities to be HS2-ready
Yorkshire cities need to prepare now for the arrival of high speed rail if they are to maximise the benefits, according to a report published today. The study of European countries’ experiences found cities which plan early, build regeneration projects around high speed rail (HSR) and integrate it properly with the local transport see the biggest economic impact.
Yorkshire Post – 7 March 2014
High-speed rail ‘can help to transform’ large regional cities
High-speed rail will have a “transformative effect” on large regional cities which use their new stations as a springboard for wider regeneration projects, a major new study finds today. A report published this morning by the Independent Transport Commission (ITC) think-tank highlights how the massive city centre development projects which have encompassed high-speed rail stations in regional cities in Europe have proved the catalyst for major economic regeneration in the area.
Passenger Transport – 20 April 2017
Hendy seeks outward-looking rail industry
Network Rail chair Sir Peter Hendy has endorsed a report from the Independent Transport Commission calling for the industry to become more outward-looking in order to attract local private and public sector funding for infrastructure schemes and increase the railway’s value to communities and businesses. In his foreword to the Classic Rail and Connecting Cities report, Hendy said the industry needed to gear up for the challenge of meeting forecasts that patronage will double in the next 25 years by gaining greater understanding of how companies, house-builders and local authorities want the network to develop.
Rail Technology Magazine – 11 April 2017
Hendy: Rail industry must learn to relate to the world outside of it
The railway must be adaptable, relatable and must improve its planning processes in order to grow wider economic growth in the future, a report by the Independent Transport Commission (ITC) backed by Network Rail chair Sir Peter Hendy has stated. The report, ‘Classic Rail and Connected Cities: Capturing the Benefits from Rail System Development’, looked at the long-term effects of major infrastructure development in rail to create a guide for rail leaders to use to generate greater economic growth across the UK.
Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) – 11 April 2017
Think tank provides guide for rail development
Drawing on international and national best practice, a new report by the Independent Transport Commission (ITC) – “Classic Rail and Connected Cities: Capturing the Benefits from Rail System Development” – provides a template for maximising the long-term benefit from railway enhancements. The latest ITC report examines the long-term effects of major infrastructure development – both positive and negative – and provides a guide for how the railway can create greater economic growth, employment and housing.
Infrastructure Intelligence, Keith Mitchell – 31 May 2016
Stations can provide a platform for growth – if plans are realistic
Are station development zones the answer to regeneration? Keith Mitchell examines the promise and challenges of the rail-led approach. We have read much about rail-led development recently. First came the Outer London Commission report, Accommodating London’s Growth, which identified development around public transport corridors and hubs as a major opportunity to intensify land use.
Infrastructure Intelligence, Denise Chevrin – 18 May 2016
Good timing – ITC underlines importance of HS2 in the North
A new report from the Independent Transport Commission sets out how the benefits of High Speed 2 (HS2) can be captured by the city regions it will serve. The report comes amidst reports that the second phase of the high speed line to Manchester and Leeds is being scrutinized by government for budget savings including potentially cutting stations that could harm growth in the North.
Infrastructure Intelligence, Chris Pownall – 3 December 2014
To maximise the economic benefits of HS2, it’s the last 0.5km that counts
Each HS2 station location has its own set of challenges in serving the local and sub-regional catchment areas. Finding the right solution will require collaboration between HS2 and local authorities, many of whom have already started to engage in this challenge. One-size-fits-all solutions will not work. And as last month’s [November] ITC report, Understanding the Spatial Effects of High Speed Rail, identified, there are imaginative overseas examples to draw on.
Infrastructure Intelligence, Jackie Whitelaw – 20 November 2014
Europe shows how high speed rail can change regional economies, says new study
High speed rail can provide a step change in regional infrastructure according to a new report by the Independent Transport Commission. Based on international research high speed rail (HSR) can help increase the long term capacity of the UK’s transport infrastructure and act as a catalyst for economic regeneration of the country’s cities and regions, the ITC found.
Buying Business Travel, Rob Gill – 17 May 2016
HS2 construction to start in 2017 – minister
Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has confirmed that construction will start on the HS2 rail link next year. McLoughlin used a speech in Leeds to dismiss media reports about HS2’s future and stressed that work would start on the controversial rail project in 2017. The first phase of HS2 will link London’s Euston with Birmingham by 2026 before a second phase of high-speed track will branch out in a Y-shape from the West Midlands to both Manchester and Leeds by 2033.
The Planner, Laura Edgar – 16 May 2016
Cities and regions need to seize HS2 opportunities, says think tank
High Speed Rail & Connected Cities also says that British cities and regions need to “seize the opportunity” to maximise value from “this once-in-a-generation public infrastructure investment project”. The project, said ITC, aimed to investigate how HS2 will shape the country’s cities and regions, with a number of workshops held throughout 2015. It also considered high-speed rail in Europe. Launched today (16 May) in Leeds, the report reviews current proposals for each of the city regions that will be served by HS2 and sets out guidance on how to “enhance the process of urban changed” by maximising the social and economic benefits that stem from developing an integrated transport system, according to ITC.
The Planner, Laura Edgar – 24 November 2015
Transport infrastructure critical to growth in regions, say experts
Major transport infrastructure schemes alone will not stimulate economic growth, unless they are linked to wider regional development schemes – and that takes strong leadership. These were the main conclusions of an afternoon of presentations and discussion at ‘Transport and Spatial Planning’, jointly organised by the RTPI and the Transport Planning Society on Monday (November 23)… But, said John Worthington of the Independent Transport Commission and past director at the Academy of Urbanism, we need to understand the potential “spatial effects” of high speed rail on England before proceeding.
Mass Transit Network – 20 May 2016
‘HS2 Ready’: think tank report issues call-to-arms on regeneration through high-speed rail
A new report by the Independent Transport Commission (ITC) setting out the regeneration and transport benefits of high-speed rail (HSR) was launched in Leeds (10.30, 16 May 2016) with The Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP, Secretary of State for Transport. The ITC has been running a major research project investigating howHS2 will shape the country’s cities and regions. Following a programme of regional seminars and workshops, the ITC released ‘High Speed Rail and Connected Cities: Accessible Places for Growing Economies’, at a launch in Leeds Town Hall..
Move Commercial, Natasha Young – 16 May 2016
Government reaffirms commitment to HS2 in the North West
The Secretary of State for Transport has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to delivering high speed rail in the North West during a speech this week. Speaking in Leeds to launch an Independent Transport Commission (ITC) report into HS2, Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP has insisted the new infrastructure project will go ahead despite reports of doubts.
Telegraph and Argus, Claire Wilde – 16 May 2016
Yorkshire should summon spirit of Grand Depart to make high-speed rail a success, think tank says
Yorkshire should summon the spirit behind its Tour de France Grand Départ to make the arrival of high-speed rail an economic success, a think tank has said. The Leeds City Region – of which Bradford is a part – needs a long-term brand to capitalise on the arrival of the HS2 link, according to a new report by the Independent Transport Commission (ITC).
Rail Technology Magazine – 19 February 2016
Sheffield businesses call for independent review of HS2 hub options
During the event, held at the Memorial Hall, several guest speakers discussed the city’s options in a debate and Q&A session. One of those present was Henk Bouwman, who is currently working for the Independent Transport Commission consulting on the spatial impact of high-speed rail on UK cities. But he was speaking from a broader European capacity at the summit, sharing his experience of high-speed rail stations and infrastructure projects in Lille, Bordeaux and Rotterdam.
Sheffield Telegraph – 18 February 2016
HS2 Summit: Hundreds urge Government to choose station based on jobs
The event at the City Hall was part of a Star-backed campaign for an HS2 stop in the city centre. Figures show it would create 6,500 more jobs than the Government’s choice of Meadowhall. Chamber chief Richard Wright called for a report by the Independent Transport Commission on “the greatest economic impact and return on investment.” He added: “We could get this horribly wrong. Local authorities and MPs are fighting like cats and dogs. Business can rise above that, but we have to do it quickly. If we can get enough business strength behind this they can’t ignore us, there would be too much political fall out.
Transport Xtra – Issue 661, 28 November 2014
Vital ingredients identified to make HS2 a success
(Subscription required) A three dimensional approach to gaining the best regional outcomes from the planned investment in high-speed rail has been put forward in a study by the Independent Transport Commission. The work was welcomed last week by both Sir David Higgins, chairman of HS2 Ltd, and transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin.
Railnews – 22 November 2014
Plan to link HS2 to Birmingham New Street
The West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority and the Rail Delivery Group are proposing that HS2 should be linked to the existing railway in central Birmingham so that some trains could serve New Street station as well as the new Curzon terminal planned alongside Moor Street station. The suggestion has come at the same time as an independent think tank has concluded that high speed rail is a catalyst for economic regeneration.
Construction News – 21 November 2014
Report issues call-to-arms on regeneration through high-speed rail
A new report by the Independent Transport Commission (ITC) has set out regeneration and transport benefits of high-speed rail (HSR). The report, Ambitions and opportunities: Understanding the spatial effects of high speed rail, draws on extensive international field research. The authors conclude that high-speed rail can be the cornerstone for a step change in the integration and improvement of regional infrastructure.
Public Sector Executive/Rail Technology Magazine – 21 November 2014
High-speed rail can deliver regeneration benefits – ITC
High-speed rail (HSR) can be the cornerstone for a step change in the integration and improvement of regional infrastructure in the UK, according to a new report by the Independent Transport Commission (ITC).
Derby Telegraph, R Johnson – 20 November 2014
HS2: Report claims UK high speed rail scheme would not be “white elephant”
A new report has claimed that high speed rail in the UK would be “far from being a white elephant” after analysing the impact of similar schemes in Europe. The study by the Independent Transport Commission believes that high speed rail can be of benefit to the regions. The report, published this afternoon, comes as the Government attempts to strengthen its case for the High Speed 2 rail scheme.
Out Law – 22 October 2013
Independent Transport Commission addresses regional implications of HS2
A new report by the non-partisan Independent Transport Commission (ITC) called on the Government to “reframe its presentation” of High Speed 2 (HS2) to focus on the line’s potential to bring “better convenience, employment and connectivity to the public that it will serve”.