Statement from the leader of Leeds City Council on HS2 announcement

In response to the announcement from HS2 Ltd, about the recommended Sheffield station solution, the leader of Leeds City Council, Councillor Judith Blake said:

“I welcome this announcement, which completes the proposals for the eastern leg of HS2.

“We now need government to prioritise their phase two route decision and make a strong commitment to deliver this project at the earliest opportunity.

“We will continue to push for this certainty and for the building of the eastern leg to be advanced so the benefits of high-speed rail can be felt across the whole of the north as soon as possible.

“Accelerating the pace of construction and building from the north continue to be priorities for partners across the city region.

“High speed rail will have a transformative effect on cities, towns and regions both on and off the route, in terms of new jobs, skills, regeneration and business opportunities. Along with the plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail, communities across the north will benefit from better connections and faster journey times.

“We understand that the line of route decision is an important one for our communities. We continue to press HS2 Ltd for mitigation of the line of route and to review compensation arrangements for those adversely affected."