Latest news with #MakeUK
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Original high-speed rail plan should be resurrected, say manufacturers
Manufacturing companies have called for plans for a high-speed rail line reaching Leeds and Manchester to be resurrected in a major strategic investment in the rail for the northern leg of HS2 were scrapped by the Conservative government in October 2023, with then prime minister Rishi Sunak saying this would save £36bn to invest in other transport projects.A poll of 200 manufacturing firms by Make UK and Barclays Corporate Banking found nine in 10 believed the original high-speed line should still go ahead to increase passenger numbers and free up capacity for rail freight on existing lines.A similar number said there should be greater investment in faster connections between Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Hull and Newcastle. The government cancelled plans for high-speed services to Sheffield and Leeds in 2021, with Birmingham to Manchester proposals axed in said at the time the decision was due to huge costs and long and business leaders in Yorkshire condemned the Brabin, West Yorkshire's Mayor, said limiting HS2 to a London-Birmingham service was "yet another blow to northern transport" and would "derail our efforts to boost the economy and level up opportunities".South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard said it was "not just a broken promise to the North, it's a catastrophe for the whole of the UK".Make UK warned current levels of rail capacity were "not suitable for the levels of freight traffic the government is predicting in the future".Director of policy Verity Davidge said: "As a result, if industry is to make greater use of rail then we need the extra capacity which a high-speed link for passenger traffic would free up."This would provide a valuable opportunity to invest in multi-mode hubs which would improve connectivity between our major ports and better integrate road and rail routes through the spine of the country."Lee Collinson, head of manufacturing, transport and logistics at Barclays UK Corporate Bank, said: "Upgrading and integrating our road, rail and port systems is crucial for boosting productivity, decarbonising transport and supporting long-term competitiveness." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Resurrect HS2 northern leg to boost rail freight capacity, say UK manufacturers
Manufacturers will press ministers today to resurrect plans for a high-speed rail line reaching Leeds and Manchester as part of a large strategic investment to get lorries off Britain's roads and cut emissions. Business lobby group Make UK and Barclays Corporate Bank said research showed companies believe the move would significantly increase passenger numbers and free up capacity for rail freight on existing lines. A survey of 200 manufacturers showed that nine in 10 believe the original high-speed rail line HS2 should still go ahead, while a similar number said there should be greater investment in faster connections between Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Hull and Newcastle. HS2 has suffered huge cost overruns and is being overhauled under new management. The transport minister, Heidi Alexander, said this year that problems with the line would delay its opening beyond 2033. Many of Labour's regional mayors support moves to extend the line to Manchester to boost economic growth across the north of England. However, Keir Starmer, the prime minister, has indicated there is little cash available to extend HS2, even under 'HS2-lite' plans that would have allowed for more capacity north of Birmingham. Verity Davidge, the director of policy at Make UK, said: 'It's clear that the current levels of rail capacity aren't suitable for the levels of freight traffic the government is predicting in the future. 'As a result, if industry is to make greater use of rail then we need the extra capacity which a high-speed link for passenger traffic would free up. 'This would provide a valuable opportunity to invest in multi-mode hubs which would improve connectivity between our major ports and better integrate road and rail routes through the spine of the country.' Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion The survey found that road is overwhelmingly the main mode of transport for nine in 10 manufacturers, with six in 10 regarding road investment as critical for their just-in-time operations. This compares with just under half (46%) for investment in ports and just under four in 10 for rail. Lee Collinson, the head of manufacturing, transport and logistics at Barclays UK Corporate Bank, said: 'Upgrading and integrating our road, rail and port systems is crucial for boosting productivity, decarbonising transport and supporting long-term competitiveness.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Calls for original high-speed rail line to be resurrected
Manufacturers are pressing for the original plan for a high-speed rail line reaching Leeds and Manchester to be resurrected as part of a major strategic investment in the rail network. Make UK and Barclays Corporate Bank said its research showed that companies believe the move would significantly increase passenger numbers and free up capacity for rail freight on existing lines. The survey of 200 manufacturing companies showed that nine in 10 believe the original high-speed rail line should still go ahead, while a similar number said there should be greater investment in faster connections between Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Hull and Newcastle. Verity Davidge, director of policy at Make UK, said: 'It's clear that the current levels of rail capacity aren't suitable for the levels of freight traffic the Government is predicting in the future. 'As a result, if industry is to make greater use of rail then we need the extra capacity which a high-speed link for passenger traffic would free up. 'This would provide a valuable opportunity to invest in multi-mode hubs which would improve connectivity between our major ports and better integrate road and rail routes through the spine of the country.' Lee Collinson, head of manufacturing, transport and logistics at Barclays UK Corporate Bank, said: 'Upgrading and integrating our road, rail and port systems is crucial for boosting productivity, decarbonising transport and supporting long-term competitiveness.' Sign in to access your portfolio
The Independent
4 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Calls for original high-speed rail line to be resurrected
Manufacturers are pressing for the original plan for a high-speed rail line reaching Leeds and Manchester to be resurrected as part of a major strategic investment in the rail network. Make UK and Barclays Corporate Bank said its research showed that companies believe the move would significantly increase passenger numbers and free up capacity for rail freight on existing lines. The survey of 200 manufacturing companies showed that nine in 10 believe the original high-speed rail line should still go ahead, while a similar number said there should be greater investment in faster connections between Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Hull and Newcastle. Verity Davidge, director of policy at Make UK, said: 'It's clear that the current levels of rail capacity aren't suitable for the levels of freight traffic the Government is predicting in the future. 'As a result, if industry is to make greater use of rail then we need the extra capacity which a high-speed link for passenger traffic would free up. 'This would provide a valuable opportunity to invest in multi-mode hubs which would improve connectivity between our major ports and better integrate road and rail routes through the spine of the country.' Lee Collinson, head of manufacturing, transport and logistics at Barclays UK Corporate Bank, said: 'Upgrading and integrating our road, rail and port systems is crucial for boosting productivity, decarbonising transport and supporting long-term competitiveness.'
Times
14-07-2025
- Business
- Times
Manufacturing in all UK regions is back above pre-pandemic levels
Manufacturing output across all UK regions is back above pre-pandemic levels for the first time, with a surge in aerospace and defence orders giving a particular boost to the southwest and northwest, the latest data shows. A report published on Monday from the manufacturing lobby group Make UK and accountants BDO underlines the bounce-back from Covid, when grounded airlines, a lack of demand and supply chain disruption brought some factories to a halt. Risks remain, however, with President Trump's tariffs bringing new threats, particularly to the West Midlands, where the automotive sector accounts for a large part of the 26 per cent of the region's exports destined for the United States. The latest data on output, to the end of 2023, shows that the southwest was the strongest performing region. It's running at 27 per cent above 2019 levels, followed by the east of England, at 21 per cent, and the northwest, ahead by a fifth. Before the latest data, only the West Midlands had remained below pre-Covid output, hit hard by the pandemic slump in automotive production and supply chain chaos. • Cheaper energy will be key for Labour's industrial strategy 'It's taken some time, and some regions are striking forward at a faster rate than others, but hopefully the post-Covid malaise is now firmly in the rear-view mirror,' Fhaheen Khan, senior economist at Make UK, said. 'However, it's clear that we are likely to see a growing divergence between those regions and nations that have the sub-sectors where greater levels of investment are taking place.' He said that, as a result of that, 'government must be mindful to ensure that growth is evenly spread' when it came to developing local growth plans. The report also highlights the continuing decline in the share of goods exports to the EU for all English regions and nations. Wales remains the most dependent on the EU with 61 per cent of its goods destined for the bloc, even if that was a decline of around 10 percentage points since 2020. The government's new industrial strategy, making advanced manufacturing one of its eight key sectors, was welcomed by Richard Austin, head of manufacturing at BDO. He pointed out, though, that companies would still 'need continued investment in design, innovation, and skills across the whole of the country if they're to weather global trade disruption'. The report also shows that the number of manufacturing jobs increased by 12,000 in the 12 months to March 2024, bringing the sector's total to just under 2.6 million. There was, however, a divergence across regions and nations, with Wales and the East Midlands both seeing a 12,000 drop in manufacturing jobs, while the West Midlands and east of England saw increases of just under 10,000.
