Douglas Oakervee Independent Chair, Oakervee Review Albany House 94-98 Petty France SW1H 9EA

Dear Douglas

Oakervee Review Submission from Greater Parliamentarians As members of the All Party Parliamentary Group (GM APPG) we wanted to welcome your review on the future of HS2 and to ensure that the collective views of Greater Manchester Parliamentarians are considered and taken on board. Greater Manchester MPs of all parties work collaboratively to provide a strong voice for the city- region in Westminster, working alongside the Mayor and local business and political leaders to help maximise future investment and growth for the benefit of the communities throughout Greater Manchester. We want to emphasise the following key points: After decades of underinvestment in strategic rail infrastructure and transport in the North, HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail, if combined with a clear commitment to much needed investment in our intra city transport networks, will provide the basis for a once-in-a-generation programme to secure the levels of investment and productivity in our northern cities that is essential to transform the North’s economic output and the life chances of residents here. Given the scale of the challenge to rebalance and level-up the UK, the GMAPPG strongly believes that choices cannot be made between HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail. Only by delivering the two initiatives together, as a future strategic rail network can we achieve the transformational economic outcomes that we share with Government. In making our case we would urge your team to consider the following points: • The full and timely delivery of Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) and HS2 Phase 2b is central to Greater Manchester’s wider ambitions for the role of rail in city-region growth. HS2 and NPR are a catalyst for improving places, growing towns and cities and supporting UK plc. Greater Manchester, and the Constellation Partnership across Cheshire have published a clear evidence base for what HS2 will deliver for their areas in their respective Growth Strategies which collectively forecast 250,000 new jobs and upwards of 120,000 new homes.

• Radically improving capacity and journey times between cities and regions and the North’s primary international gateway will ensure we fully realise the benefits of connectivity with the world’s most important markets. It would put 260,000 businesses within 90 minutes of four or more cities and Manchester Airport. This includes significant increases in the number of businesses that export, with the North currently below national average, and improved flows of investment and international visitors.

• Greater Manchester considers HS2 to be vital if we are to increase the capacity and connectivity of Britain’s rail network and believes Manchester and Manchester Airport are the optimal locations for new HS2 stations, supplemented by a Hub location at the existing Wigan.

• NPR will radically improve capacity, frequency, speed and services between the North’s six major cities and Manchester Airport.

• We are keen to ensure we get the right solutions for Piccadilly and Manchester Airport Stations that support our long-term ambitions for growth through our Local Industrial Strategy and the Government’s Aviation Strategy.

• The investment in HS2 and NPR, whilst crucial, is only one part of the rebalancing toolkit. As Greater Manchester has set out in its ambitious HS2/NPR Growth Strategy, we must ensure that the right levels of local connectivity are delivered, that our future stations are designed as truly integrated and transformed facilities throughout, that the final plans for HS2 and NPR are fully sensitive to and supportive of the wider economic regeneration agenda in adjacent localities, and that we fully exploit the skills and local supply chain opportunities that this level of public spending could unlock.

• Finally, we must ensure that HS2 and NPR are the pinnacles of a 20-year programme of spending and reform across our railways, as set out in the forthcoming Greater Manchester Rail Prospectus.

We would urge you to consider the huge economic benefits HS2 will bring not just to Greater Manchester but to the North and UKplc. As you will know, business and political leaders from across the North and the Midlands, including Metro Mayors Dan Jarvis, Steve Rotheram and are fully behind the Connecting Britain campaign to ensure that both HS2 and NPR to be delivered in full. Greater Manchester is a diverse and inclusive international city-region. If we are to continue to successfully partner with developers and investors on our key regeneration projects, driving opportunities and jobs in our key growth sectors. HS2 and NPR – together - are integral. We would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss our concerns and trust that your review will ensure that HS2 is fully supported

Yours sincerely

Lucy Powell MP, Chair Greater Manchester All Party Parliamentary Group MP Ann Coffey MP Sir MP MP MP MP MP MP MP Afzal Khan MP MP Liz McInnes MP Jim McMahon MP Jo Platt MP

Yasmin Qureshi MP MP MP Mary Robinson MP Jeff Smith MP MP