188体育

Introduction

Thank you for that introduction and welcome.

And good afternoon everyone.

It鈥檚 great to be back in Leeds again.

Four months after my last official visit:

• to see progress at Kirkstall Forge rail station
• to meet with city leaders from the north and Midlands
• and to make my first speech since the general election

If you think it鈥檚 significant that I鈥檓 making it here, in Leeds, on the eastern leg of HS2, and in the north, then you鈥檇 be absolutely right.

And if you think it鈥檚 a sign of intent that my themes today (1 June 2015) are growth, infrastructure, and HS2, you鈥檇 also be right.

I鈥檓 here, delivering this speech, because the economy and infrastructure were the top 2 issues in our manifesto.

Nothing is more important to this government than a healthy economy which benefits all working people across the country.

And a balanced economy, which closes the gap between north and south.

That means ensuring the recovery reaches all parts of the United Kingdom.

From north to south and east to west.

And we won鈥檛 waste a moment getting on with the task.

On a personal note, it鈥檚 a real privilege to be standing in front of you as Secretary of State for Transport.

Before I took on this job in 2012, there had been 7 Transport Secretaries in 7 years.

When you鈥檙e in charge of long-term infrastructure projects, such a high turnover can be destabilising.

So I鈥檓 excited to be heading up the DfT in this new Parliament.

Growth and investment

Three weeks ago, the British people gave us a clear mandate. To finish the job of fixing our economy, paying off our debts, modernising our infrastructure and securing a better future for all.

They also voted for 拢70 billion of capital investment in transport that we will deliver over the next 5 years.

All in all, an unprecedented commitment.

But the right commitment.

Because we believe in the power of transport to change things.

Power of transport

Decent transport doesn鈥檛 just help people get around.

It helps them get on.

It opens up opportunity.

It provides access to education and jobs.

It connects businesses with customers - whether your market is Bradford, Birmingham or Brazil.

And it gives firms a competitive edge.

Great transport created the first Northern Powerhouse nearly 2 centuries ago.

And it can create the second one today.

We鈥檝e already begun closing the decades-old economic gap between south and north.

Employment in the north is up by over 150,000 in just one year.

Unemployment has fallen by more than 20%.

And per person, the north is growing faster than London.

I鈥檓 proud of that.

And I鈥檓 proud of what we鈥檝e achieved over the past 5 years.

But our job today is to look forward.

To create a foundation for long-term growth.

And transport is a vital part of our plans.

We鈥檒l invest 拢13 billion in northern transport over this Parliament.

With major improvements to the A1, M62, M1. And A555.

We鈥檙e building the Northern Hub.

Introducing new trains on the East Coast Mainline, built in Newton Aycliffe.

And adding capacity for 44 million more rail passengers.

And we are getting rid of Pacers as well.

Local decision making

But it鈥檚 not just about the amount of money.

It鈥檚 also about how we invest.

So the right people can make the right decisions.

That鈥檚 why we鈥檙e devolving power away from Whitehall and into the hands of cities.

We created Transport for the North (TfN) to bring cities together.

From Liverpool to Hull and from Sheffield to Newcastle.

So the north can shape its own future.

Transport for the North is a genuine partnership 鈥� and I want to thank you all for your work so far.

By the autumn, Transport for the North will have a new independent chair.

Who will truly speak on behalf of the north with one voice.

That means a shared vision for trains and buses.

For passengers using public transport.

For reducing road congestion, and speeding up links to ports and airports.

By working with TfN, we鈥檒l upgrade the road network.

Maybe a new road tunnel under the Peak District.

And major upgrades to other east-west routes.

We鈥檒l help develop a new freight strategy for the north.

And we鈥檒l work towards an integrated, trans-north smart ticketing system.

It鈥檚 an exciting programme that will bring massive benefits to the region.

So I鈥檓 pleased that we鈥檝e got James Wharton here today, MP for Stockton South, and minister responsible for Northern Powerhouse within the Department for Communities and Local Government.

I鈥檓 also delighted that Andrew Jones is here, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, who鈥檚 handling Northern Powerhouse at the DfT.

High speed rail

As I鈥檝e said, the general election was a massive vote of confidence in HS2.

Big transport projects have always faced resistance.

Back in the 1830s, the first legislation to build a new rail line from London to Birmingham was defeated.

Thankfully, the line was eventually built 鈥� and today it鈥檚 called the West Coast Mainline.

People questioned the M25.

The Channel Tunnel.

And HS1.

So controversy needn鈥檛 be a sign that the decisions you鈥檝e taken are wrong.

And that鈥檚 certainly the case with HS2.

HS2 is now a manifesto commitment of a government with a Commons majority.

It also has wide cross party support.

Support that many of you here today helped secure.

So I want to thank you.

You鈥檝e been absolutely central to the success of the project so far.

Thankfully, the northern electorate didn鈥檛 listen to those who tried to play politics with HS2 during the election campaign.

Neither did the people of the west and east Midlands.

So the argument鈥檚 been won.

HS2 will be built.

The full 鈥榊鈥� network.

From London to Birmingham.

And Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds.

With construction starting in just 2 years.

HS2 will change the transport architecture of the north.

But it will also change the economic architecture.

Seven out of ten jobs created will be outside London.

With the north and Midlands gaining at least double the benefits of the south.

In fact, those benefits are already starting to happen.

HSBC鈥檚 decision to move its retail bank headquarters from London to Birmingham is just one example.

What鈥檚 next for HS2

Meanwhile the Hybrid Bill for HS2 Phase One is making good progress.

After being carried over from the last Parliament, it was re-presented last week, and is Bill number 1 for the new session.

The Parliamentary Select Committee looking at that first Bill resumes shortly.

But increasingly, and perhaps importantly, the spotlight is spreading to Phase Two.

I want to see if we can bring HS2 to Crewe faster than planned, subject to further analysis and a decision on the preferred route.

I鈥檓 determined to deliver the benefits to the north as fast as possible.

So I鈥檒l prepare a dedicated Hybrid Bill in this Parliament.

And we鈥檙e not forgetting the eastern leg either.

We鈥檒l make our Phase Two announcements this autumn.

We鈥檙e looking at ways of using the HS2 line to introduce faster regional services.

And at the case for speeding up construction of the Sheffield to Leeds section.

HS2 will allow us to reorganise and improve commuter routes across Yorkshire.

There will also be more room for local trains and rail freight, relieving congestion on Yorkshire鈥檚 roads.

And we鈥檙e moving forward with plans for a new high speed rail links, running right across the north.

From Liverpool in the west, to Hull in the east.

Which will slash journey times.

Provide a substantial boost to capacity.

And help bind the north together as a single, powerful economic force.

Conclusion

So my message to you today is this.

We know the transport infrastructure across the north is not nearly good enough for a region with such incredible potential.

Now we have the chance to put it right.

Not by sitting in London and telling you what to do.

But by giving you the choices to shape your own future.

This is the best opportunity in well over a century to level the playing field between north and south.

Not by dragging London down.

But by firing up the rest of the country.

The east and west Midlands.

And the new Northern Powerhouse.

With transport connections that match the very best in Europe.

So let鈥檚 get the message out there.

Start preparing now.

Because HS2 is coming.

It鈥檚 coming to Leeds.

To Manchester.

To south Yorkshire.

And the east Midlands.

The time to debate the various merits of high speed rail is over.

Now it鈥檚 time to get our cities ready.

Ready for construction.

Ready for investment and regeneration.

And ready to embrace a new age of opportunity.

Thank you.