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Economic Development

City council chiefs press case for HS2

Council leaders launch show of support at Downing Street for £50bn high-speed rail scheme

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin (fifth left) and Prime Minister David Cameron, with city representatives (left to right), Liverpool: Ged Fitzgerald, Sheffield: Cllr Julie Dore, Glasgow: Cllr Gordon Matheson, Birmingham: Sir Albert Bore, Bristol: Cllr Helen Holland, Leeds: Cllr James Lewis, Manchester: Sir Richard Leese, Newcastle: Cllr Nick Forbes, Nottingham: Cllr Jon Collins and Edinburgh: Ewan Kennedy, outside 10 Downing Street

City leaders have showed their support for HS2 at Downing Street.

A dozen council chiefs, including some from Scotland, met Prime Minister David Cameron today to pledge their backing for the £50 billion high-speed project.

The leaders posed outside Number 10 with Mr Cameron holding a long banner bearing the words High Speed Rail for High Speed Cities.

Standing with them in the cold, Mr Cameron said: "Everyone benefits from HS2. It's great for the whole country."

After the meeting in Downing Street, which was also attended by Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, Manchester City Council leader Sir Richard Leese said: "HS2 will benefit London but will benefit regional cities even more, so it's a win-win situation."

The second phase of HS2 is scheduled to take the line north of Birmingham to north west and north east England by 2032/33.

Sir Richard, who is 62, said: "We need high-speed rail to the north sooner and running further. My ambition is to able to ride on the high-speed line from Manchester in my lifetime."

Birmingham City Council leader Sir Albert Bore said: "Mr Cameron supports our view this is all about increasing capacity and bringing economic gain to the country as a whole."