CONCERN AT POSSIBLE “MISSED OPPORTUNITY” FOR HIGH SPEED 2

The Thames Gateway London Partnership (TGLP) has welcomed the Government's new high speed rail strategy, but is warning all parties that to ignore the east of London and the Thames Gateway area would be damaging to the UK economy as a whole.

The Government’s National Strategy for High Speed Rail, which has now been published, makes only a passing reference to how the new line could be linked to High Speed 1, the international route, and fails to take account of future growth in and around the current Stratford transport interchange.

The announcement comes as TGLP, which represents councils and universities across the area, calls for “brave, long-term thinking;” and a commitment to the growth of transport infrastructure in the Gateway. The Partnership argues that this support for the area is vital to the UK’s economic recovery.

‘Return on Capital; a prospectus for the future of the London Thames Gateway’, which is to be published on 15 March, calls for politicians from all parties to pledge their support for the ongoing redevelopment of the Gateway. Ahead of the General Election, the prospectus highlights how investment in the area is not only good for the Capital, but essential for the economic success of the whole country.

In the document, Lord Falconer, the Chair of the cross-party TGLP, claims that investment in the area has “renewed and revitalised a major part of our capital city and generated increased wealth for the UK economy.”

Responding to the Government announcement on the new High Speed route, Councillor Conor McAuley, Newham Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration and TGLP’s lead on Transport and Connectivity said:

“There is a very convincing case to be made for east London to host the main hub for the new high speed network. It could allow direct connections with Crossrail, London Underground, international and mainline services and would open up access to our area to business and investment.

“I would urge that very serious consideration is given to what the development of the area can offer, through the use of Stratford.”

TGLP Chair Lord Falconer added:

“We strongly support plans to build a new high speed rail line from London to the North. But the present proposals look as if they might miss the opportunity to improve connectivity to east as well as west London. Stopping at Stratford on the way to Europe is an obvious choice, given that the necessary infrastructure, built for exactly this purpose, already exists.

“Including a stop at Stratford would open up the fastest growing part of the capital to the rest of the country and to Europe and help to guarantee a true Olympic legacy as well as providing much easier access to Canary Wharf from the Crossrail link already planned for Stratford. It is clearly essential that a link between High Speed 2 and High Speed 1 is built as part of the development; but building the High Speed 2 route with a link to High Speed 1 and no stop at Stratford just wouldn’t make sense.”

Today in the House of Lords, Lord Adonis, speaking in response to a question from Lord Falconer agreed that:

“There is an ongoing debate about Eurostar serving Stratford, but were there to be through high-speed trains from the High Speed 2 line to the High Speed 1 line, there would be a strong case for some of them stopping at Stratford.”

ENDS

For further information please contact Leon Panitzke, TGLP Communications on:
020 7673 4734 (m) 0788 766 1891
leon@thames-gateway.org.uk

Cllr Conor McAuley, LB Newham, will also be available for comment on Friday 12 March

Notes to editors:

1. The Thames Gateway London Partnership (TGLP) is a cross-river, cross-party organisation, made up of the 11 local authorities and the eight universities in the Thames Gateway London area, the local Learning and Skills Council and NHS London. It is a strategic advocacy and lobbying organisation but not a delivery body. Representing the whole of the London Thames Gateway (LTG) area, it campaigns on behalf of its members to ensure the area is able to live up to its enormous potential and remains a key national and regional priority.

2. TGLP is a small effective organisation, co-ordinating the voice of the public bodies delivering the development and regeneration of the LTG. Its role is to establish and articulate members’ collective views. Where there is value in co-ordinating effort sub-regionally, it takes the lead, complementing the work of partners at local level. Its independent Chair is Lord Falconer of Thoroton.