Scrapping Yorkshire leg of HS2 would leave your levelling-up ambitions 'in tatters', business leaders warn Boris Johnson

More than 100 senior business figures say that not delivering on the PM's promise to deliver the high speed rail scheme in full "would be a massive missed opportunity to create hundreds of thousands of jobs, attract major investment and stimulate huge economic growth to create a more balanced, fairer economy".

The Government is expected in the coming weeks to publish its Integrated Rail Plan setting out how HS2 would fit in with other major rail schemes like Northern Powerhouse Rail and the Transpennine Route Upgrade.

And the letter published today said the NIC's rail needs assessment "pitched projects against each other" rather than looking into how the different schemes could fit together.

It said: "Sacrificing parts of the network of new lines now would short-change millions of people across this country who after years of waiting would be left with a second-class service."

Among the business leaders signing the letter are Kate Jeeves and Robin Hawkes, Joint Chief Executives at, Leeds Playhouse, Will Gardiner, CEO at Drax, John Heaps, Chairman at Yorkshire Building Society, Keith Madeley, CEO at Yorkshire Society, Edwin Booth, Chairman of Booths, Dr David Richards, Pro-Vice Chancellor at the University of Hull and Simon Bird, Humber Ports Director, Associated British Ports.

Plans for the Western Leg of Phase 2b of HS2 are relatively well advanced, with work currently underway on refining the route.

But the letter warned that "the scale of the opportunities a High Speed North and Midlands network would create are only possible if HS2 is delivered in full".

It said: While we are heartened to see the progress that has been made on the Western leg, the commitment to the Eastern leg is far less apparent since HS2 Ltd stopped work on it over a year ago.

"On the East, the delivery of HS2 and supporting investments would lead to approximately 150,000 additional jobs in Leeds City Region, Sheffield City Region and the East Midlands region. Each year of delay costs the North & Midlands £4.9bn – growth is being held back by uncertainty.

"The growth strategies of Leeds City Region and Sheffield City Region, both with HS2 at the heart, would provide more than £70bn to those city region economies, with the potential for almost 10,000 new homes and more than £5bn of private sector investment."

The letter concludes: "The Integrated Rail Plan is your chance to move on from Covid to what the future of the UK should look like. Levelling up parts of the country that have seen traditional and considerable underinvestment, and that would benefit from a plan for growth.

"The opportunity to reaffirm your commitment to HS2 in full is within your grasp. Businesses in the North and the Midlands stand ready to capitalise on the opportunities an integrated high speed network would provide and help rebuild the economy. This decision is vital to the future of this country, and it rests with you now."

Sir John Armitt, who chairs the National Infrastructure Commission, told an online event last month that to afford the Yorkshire leg of the high speed rail scheme and the leg between Crewe and Manchester Ministers would have to sacrifice local schemes in the North.

His report set out options for an £86bn budget for rail infrastructure, representing 1.2 per cent of gross domestic product, as well as more ambitious options with budgets of £108bn and £129bn.

He said his conclusion was that there would be a "greater level of benefits by focusing on those regional connections and finishing the western leg of HS2 than by sacrificing some of the Northern projects in order to at this stage do the two legs of the Y."

A Department for Transport spokesman said last month: “We’re committed to bringing the benefits of high speed rail to the East Midlands, Yorkshire and beyond.

"Our Integrated Rail Plan will outline how projects, including HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail, can work together to deliver the reliable train services that passengers need and deserve, as quickly as possible.”