In response to the proposals for a new Midlands to Northwest rail line as an alternative to the HS2 northern leg, Chief Executive of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, Henrietta Brealey, said: “The previous Government's decision to curtail the progress of HS2 beyond Birmingham was a kick in the teeth to the regional growth agenda so the release of this report couldn't be more timely.
“It's great to see the Combined Authority mayors working in tandem to explore practical options to enhance rail connectivity between our great cities.
“By utilising private sector expertise, we can hopefully move forward with building a railway that will help to improve capacity on the network, create jobs, boost productivity levels and ultimately drive economic growth.
“As a Chamber we look forward to working with the West Midlands mayor and other key local stakeholders to drive this agenda forward.” The proposals follow a review commissioned by the mayors of the West Midlands and Greater Manchester.
