HS2 DRIVING FORWARD GROWTH IN THE LEEDS CITY REGION

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1 HS2 DRIVING FORWARD GROWTH IN THE LEEDS CITY REGION Welcome to Yorkshire Jim Barton Holly Hayes Neil Hunter CC BY-SA 2 Welcome to Yorkshire Eric Huang

2 HS2 LEEDS CITY REGION IS READY TO CAPITALISE ON THE BENEFITS OF HIGH SPEED RAIL CRAVEN HARROGATE YORK v l o h BRADFORD LEEDS SELBY p b i _ v CALDERDALE WAKEFIELD KIRKLEES BARNSLEY The largest City Region The Leeds City Region is the largest English City Region outside London, with a population of 3m people. The City Region has 106,000 businesses, employs 1.4m people and has an economy of 55bn; this is larger than the economy of Wales. Furthermore, the City Region s location and connectivity at the centre of the UK strategic rail and road network mean that it is within a one hour journey zone for 7m people. Leeds itself has a population of over 750,000 people, which has increased by almost 5% in the past decade. As a City Region of makers and doers with roots in the Industrial Revolution and more people currently employed in manufacturing than anywhere else we re in pole position to lead the UK s re-industrialisation. 2

3 High Speed two is about more than just trains. An infrastructure project of this size has the potential to deliver thousands of new jobs and provide a massive boost to the national and regional economy we want to ensure our region reaps the benefits of these opportunities. Councillor Keith Wakefield, Leader of Leeds City Council Leeds and the wider City Region are ready to capitalise on the benefits of High Speed Two (HS2). Work will not wait until the first train arrives. The regeneration of the South Bank, in the centre of Leeds, alongside other major areas of investment including York and Sheffield, weaves a strong narrative for the UK economy. When joined together with other powerful cities in the North such as Manchester, this will start to rebalance the national economy. This stronger economy will bring more jobs, and create new and exciting opportunities, delivering real change. The City Region s economy already reaps the benefits of a direct connection to London, but the East Coast Mainline is fast approaching capacity and overcrowding is only set to get worse. Network Rail has worked hard to upgrade the existing infrastructure to maximise capacity but as national demand for rail travel grows, lack of capacity will continue to be an issue. HS2 offers the solution. However, the Leeds City Region story is not just about waiting for the next chapter of HS2. It is about capitalising on the success already achieved; strong and diverse clusters of multiple sectors, a can-do attitude and the ability to attract major multinationals. The Leeds City Region is all about putting plans into action. This document describes what is taking shape now and the opportunities HS2 might provide in the future. HS2 is a once-in-alifetime chance to unlock the region s growth potential and we are determined to seize this opportunity. 106 THOUSAND businesses located in the Leeds City Region 3MILLION people living in the Leeds City Region 750 THOUSAND people living in Leeds 3

4 HOW OU NETWOR Rail Station Gateways Imple Leeds station masterplan, as we and full modernisation of Bradf Bradford Forster Square, York, H Huddersfield and Castleford St HS2 ENHANCING COMPETITIVENESS THROUGH GREATER CONNECTIVITY AND CAPACITY Although the HS2 services will to consider end to end journeys benefits. Building the new HS2 opportunities and complementi Some examples of these includ Rail Capacity Schemes For e at Leeds station, east of Leeds, and Bradford Mill Lane and the to allow direct and faster servic from Bradford and the south. T complemented by a programme lengthening at stations across t order to accommodate longer t INDICTATIVE ROUTE OF HS2 INTERCITY CONNECTIVITY REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY SUB REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY LOCAL CONNECTIVITY Calder Valley Line Building Hub by providing additional tra more frequent rail services as w rolling stock quality improveme refurbishment, paving the way f electrification and rolling stock A connected Leeds City Region 04 Ready for a New Future Business people and tourists alike will be able to travel to Leeds and York aboard HS2, and then make their onward journeys to other parts of the City Region quickly and easily. The map above shows the extent of the region s connectivity and the diverse places that can be reached once passengers alight at Leeds and York. These journeys will be made more convenient through investment in a comprehensive series of transport upgrades across the existing network. This will benefit the local economy by ensuring access to HS2, as well as distributing the economic benefits across the Leeds City Region. 4

5 By improving connectivity with other regions and providing much-needed additional capacity on our existing rail network, HS2 will provide a huge economic boost. Councillor Peter Box, Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority We are aligning our investment plans for the region s existing transport network to ensure it is HS2 ready. Better connectivity is the lynchpin of the Local Enterprise Partnership s (LEP) Strategic Economic Plan. An historic 1bn Local Growth Deal has recently been agreed with Government. This will create tens of thousands of new jobs and accelerate economic growth across the entire City Region. The deal includes 573m between from the Government s Local Growth Fund, to deliver the ambitious economic agenda outlined in the Strategic Economic Plan; and 420m between to deliver the West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund, which will reduce congestion and make it easier for people to commute to and from expected major growth areas. Rail investment is already underway and includes the electrification of the TransPennine line by This will allow up to 700 more trains to run each day and will provide space for 44m additional passengers a year. Responding to Sir David Higgins challenge, essential rail investment strategies are being identified in the east-west corridor e.g. HS3 and elsewhere in the North. We also want to see improvements to ensure that the connectivity of South and West Yorkshire is enhanced. This will address key gaps in the strategic transport networks, better linking the adjoining city regions and building upon the work of Rail North, to drive growth and productivity. Connectivity should be truly multimodal. HS2 has the potential to provide a step change in the way people travel to Leeds City Centre, and change the journey patterns in the Leeds City Region. Work is already underway through the West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund, with our Transportation Strategy for Leeds City Centre well advanced. Unlocking some of the current connectivity constraints in the City Region will include the investigation of alternative transport modes. These include extensions to the proposed New Generation Transport (NGT) trolleybus scheme and a possible fixed link to Leeds Bradford International Airport. 420 MILLION pounds of funding agreed to deliver the West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund between THOUSAND new jobs over the next 10 years 1bn ANNUAL increase in economic output 5

6 HS2 A CATALYST FOR STATION LED REGENERATION IN THE LEEDS CITY REGION New city centre communities The location of a new HS2 station in Leeds and the arrival of HS2 at York Station will propel the regeneration of adjacent areas into dynamic locations, able to attract and sustain major investment for decades to come. Situated in the centre of Leeds, the South Bank is a prime location for both commercial and residential development and is potentially the biggest city centre regeneration opportunity in Europe. New jobs in a new place Our vision is for Leeds to be a new kind of city. Alongside the arrival of HS2, Leeds City Centre will experience a new City Park, a high quality public realm, office space and new homes in a liveable city centre. This transformation is already underway across the city; the South Bank is home to corporate HQs, creative and digital industries. HS2 presents a great opportunity to increase the number of jobs in the surrounding areas and across the region. 6

7 We are committed to delivering a new station that will provide a huge boost to the economy and jobs. It will be an exciting focus for our plans for the South Bank area, broadly the same size as Edinburgh New Town and one of the largest regeneration projects in Europe. Tom Riordan, Chief Executive, Leeds City Council By 2030, HS2 will be a frequent, fast and well-integrated rail link connecting London and Leeds via major cities in the Midlands and the North along the way. Upon leaving the train at the brand new, state-of-the-art station, travellers arrive in the heart of Leeds. With exciting opportunities in the South Bank (including a development area the size of over 42 football pitches), this represents a unique regeneration opportunity; one of the largest of its type in Europe. With the arrival of the new station, Leeds can replicate the success experienced at King s Cross Central in London, with businesses taking advantage of the new network of connectivity, and exploiting the commercial advantages of being located near to other like-minded firms. 6THOUSAND new jobs will be created on the South Bank in Leeds 42 FOOTBALL pitches, equivalent size of the South Bank development area GMJ Case Study: King s Cross Central The development at King s Cross is 29 hectares, similar in size to the South Bank in Leeds. When complete, it will see 5,000 students and 30,000 people working in sectors including financial services, information technology, media, life sciences and retail. Anchored next to one of London s most revered educational institutions, Central St Martins, businesses cite operating amongst this rich mix of talent and creativity as being a key driver to choosing to locate in the development. 30 THOUSAND people may eventually work at King s Cross Central 7

8 HS2 DEVELOPING THE LARGEST CITY REGION FOR MAXIMUM OPPORTUNITIES Preston Wigan up to 1bn annual increase in economic output by 2037 for the Leeds City Region Bolton Manchester Piccadilly Skipton Bradford Halifax Huddersfield Harrogate Dewsbury Leeds New Lane Wakefield York Selby up to 0.9bn annual increase in economic output by 2037 for Sheffield City Region Liverpool Warrington Runcorn up to 4m jobs created across Leeds and Sheffield City Regions, D2N2 and GBS (Birmingham) LEP areas Crewe up to 57mins journey time from Brimingham to Leeds Stafford Manchester Airport High Speed Station up to 1,600 Stoke-on-Trent Wolverhampton Birmingham Barnsley station supported jobs at East Midlands Hub Sheffield Derby Coventry Nottingham Leicester Doncaster Rotherham Sheffield Meadowhall East Midlands Hub Birmingham Interchange up to 5,400 station supported jobs at Sheffield Meadowhall up to 2.2bn increase in economic output by 2037 for the East Midlands Hub Connecting cities Leeds is one of the most active economic centres in the North and is set to experience huge benefits from HS2 s connections to other parts of the North and the Midlands. Taken together, the northern cities of Leeds, York, Sheffield and Manchester represent a working population of 1.97m and GVA (Gross Value Added), a measure of the contribution to the national economy, to the tune of 84bn. The Leeds economy is bright and well into recovery. With journey times to Birmingham reduced by 52% and journey times to Nottingham reduced by 54%, HS2 will attract new companies to invest across the Leeds City Region. 8

9 Common sense suggests that there is huge untapped potential for much more trade and commerce across the Pennines, but that would require better connections than currently exist. Sir David Higgins, Chairman of HS2 Improved rail links between Birmingham, Derby, Nottingham, Sheffield and Leeds will create a powerful and competitive economic zone outside London. Better connections will create economic opportunities for the Leeds City Region. Leeds is one of the UK s economic anchors, boasting a significant number of professional and financial services companies and a multitude of other major industries including: creative and digital; low carbon manufacturing; and food manufacturing. HS2 will not only bring connectivity from the South to the North, but the East - West opportunity could see a newly formed and powerful economic region stretching from Liverpool to Hull, including Manchester and Leeds, also taking in York to the North and Barnsley to the South. Prior to the decision to develop the Y-shaped formation of HS2, the Government published detailed work showing the benefits of the Eastern Route to be more than double that of the Western Route. Between 48,000 70,000 jobs could be created across the North, compared to 22,000 in London. To capitalise on this strength, the case for building from the North is compelling. Case study: Bradford Growth Zone Bradford is the fourth largest metropolitan district in England contributing 8.3bn annually to the UK economy. The city is already helping nurture local businesses through the Bradford Growth Zone. This is a 35m initiative helping businesses invest in equipment, improve access to employment and skills, benefit from IT infrastructure and upgrade their premises through improvement grants. HS2 will create an opportunity for Bradford s businesses to grow further, connecting directly to business leaders in Birmingham and London. 83 MINUTES journey time from Leeds to London 70 THOUSAND jobs could be created across the North region 8.3 BILLION pounds, Bradford s annual contribution to the UK economy 9

10 HS2 LEEDS CITY REGION: THE INTERNATIONAL DESTINATION Global flight paths This visual snapshot shows how the world is connected by flight paths. The combination of Leeds Bradford International Airport and HS2 will make Leeds City Region perfectly positioned to be a central hub of worldwide connectivity. Bringing the world closer to the Leeds City Region HS2 will not only better connect the UK s regions but will also better connect the Leeds City Region to other major UK airports. Heathrow is the fifth busiest airport in the world and will connect directly into the Leeds City Region via HS2. The visual snapshot above shows how the world is connected by global flight paths. Leeds Bradford International Airport is already forecast to become one of the UK s largest regional airports. The combination of Leeds Bradford International Airport and HS2 perfectly positions the Leeds City Region as a globally competitive hub. Birmingham Airport, part of an exciting development called UK Central, will become the West Midland s gateway to the emerging markets of the BRIC economies (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and will be accessible in under an hour from Leeds City Centre. With improved links to airports at Heathrow and Birmingham, travelling into the Leeds City Region will be easier than ever before. 10

11 As a country trying to operate internationally, trade and compete internationally, we simply have to use the resources that are spread around the UK, and access to those resources is essential. It will enable us to compete better internationally, and London cannot do that on its own. Neil McLean, Non-Executive Director at West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce Through new international connections and opportunities, HS2 brings the world directly into Leeds and the City Region. Paris will be less than four hours away by rail from Leeds City Centre. New and improved connections to Birmingham and Heathrow airports will make New York, Shanghai and Mumbai new trading partners of the Leeds City Region. In 2013, the total value of British exports was 304.5bn. With faster connectivity to the international markets of Europe, New York and Shanghai via the Eurostar and Birmingham International and Heathrow airports, HS2 will provide a real opportunity for businesses to capitalise on these connections and export goods and services more readily. This new international connectivity will not just benefit business. During , 425,265 international students came to study in the UK. Of these, some 80,000 students were Chinese, representing the largest single nationality of overseas students studying in the UK. As of 2014, Birmingham International Airport announced a new, direct flight to Beijing. After experiencing the ease of a direct flight into the UK, students will be able to transfer onto HS2 and complete their 5,000 mile journey to Leeds via just two modes of transport. Leeds alone already has more international students than any other UK city outside of London, with 34,000 living and studying in the city each year. The appeal of faster and easier connections to some of Britain s major airports will help the region s eight universities build on their international appeal and maintain their attractiveness to overseas students. There will also be huge benefits for tourism. Mainland Europe currently boasts an impressive high speed rail network, with 1,265 miles in France alone. Although the exact connection between HS2 and HS1 - the first high speed rail line in the UK - is yet to be confirmed, it is clear that HS2 will allow tourists to leave cities across Mainland Europe and travel on a state-of-the-art integrated transport system directly into Leeds City Region. 34 THOUSAND international students studying in Leeds 304 BILLION pounds of UK exports in MILES of high speed rail network in France 11

12 HS2 ECONOMY AND JOBS 10 9 Employment growth (%) Manchester Sheffield Leeds 1 0 Birmingham Rail passenger growth (%) A unique opportunity HS2 will bring Leeds closer to the rest of the UK, Continental Europe and the global markets. This is a unique opportunity to transform the economic geography of the UK and the Leeds City Region. A new, better quality, more frequent and better integrated north-south route will draw the Leeds, Sheffield, Derby and Birmingham Local Economic Partnership areas together. These economies currently have a combined economic weight of 146bn and improved connectivity provides a realistic opportunity to tempt more major employers northwards. HS2 s new connections between Leeds, London and other core cities across the UK will bring new employment opportunites and support a further rebalancing of the UK economy. Currently, there are only six FTSE 100 companies operating north of Birmingham. Conversely, there are 66 operating in London and the South East. This mirrors the unusually strong population disparity evident in UK cities compared with other European economies. In other countries, the second city is typically 50% to 70% the size of a country s capital. 12

13 HS2 will provide many opportunities over a long period of time, not just in building the project but in operating it too. Ciaran Morrisson, Leeds Youth Parliament Leeds is already known for its national economic importance. It has undergone a significant economic restructure and modernisation. The Leeds City Region is home to the largest financial services sector outside London. It has 139,000 manufacturing employees, more than anywhere else in the country. The city has seen tremendous economic growth, underpinned by an explosion in rail passenger growth. The graph on the opposite page best demonstrates the link between employment and connectivity growth in four core city centres. Leeds recorded the highest correlation up to the recession, experiencing the fastest rail passenger growth of all the core cities, and it s rail passenger growth continued to rise through the recession, with job growth now accelerating. It has the busiest railway station in the North used by 100,000 people each day. Work is already underway to improve the east-west connectivity between Leeds and Manchester (a distance of just 40 miles) to help reap the full benefits of high speed rail in the region. Leeds and Manchester are the same distance apart as stations either end of London Underground s Central Line. Line upgrades will better integrate the economies of these two cities. HS2 provides a realistic opportunity to increase the size, importance and economy of the cities and regions it runs through, so they better compete with London. Case study: Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot, Wakefield A new depot located adjacent to existing rail networks in New Crofton will encourage the growth of associated businesses and jobs locally. Roles for specialist engineers and apprentices in advanced train maintenance will contribute to a growing skilled workforce within the City Region. 66 FTSE 100 companies currently operating in London and the South East 6FTSE 100 companies currently operating north of Birmingham 100 THOUSAND people use Leeds railway station each day 13

14 HS2 PLANNING NOW TO SECURE FUTURE PROSPERITY Connect the North, rebalance the nation HS2 will help to narrow the gap between London and the Leeds City Region. Other cities across Europe that already benefit from high speed rail are much closer to their nation s capitals in terms of size and contribution to the national economy. Lyon, a beneficiary of high speed rail and France s second biggest city, closely follows the capital Paris in terms of size. As the gap closes between London and the Leeds City Region, many new and exciting opportunities will be realised. To capitalise on this opportunity, the Leeds City Region is planning now to secure future prosperity. 14

15 It s not about knocking minutes off schedule, it s about changing Britain for the better. It s about one change once and for all that we can go on now and do what our great grandfathers did with the industrial revolution they changed the world and we will do the same with HS2. Pete Waterman OBE, businessman, Chair of Cheshire and Warrington LEP To exploit the potential of this unique opportunity, investment and planning is well underway. A masterplan and an urban design transport and regeneration study will pave the way for the integration of the new HS2 station into the urban fabric of Leeds City Centre. It will offer a creative solution for an interchange between the existing station and HS2, and see the delivery of a vibrant quarter of the city which is attractive to both businesses and residents. In the wider City Region, investment plans are being aligned to ensure the upgrade of the region s existing transport network, including the electrification of the TransPennine line by This investment will successfully spread the benefits of HS2 between Leeds and Manchester; two major HS2 station cities. Work is also underway to help businesses fully realise the design, construction and operational opportunities brought by HS2. Several firms have already proudly shown their support for the scheme by signing up to become local HS2 ambassadors. Case study: Lyon The French city of Lyon has experienced several benefits from the the high speed rail line to Paris. These include the relocation of several firm s headquarters from the capital to Lyon after the line cut journey times from four and a half hours to less than two. This was undoubtedly helped by the city s early investment in new state-of-the-art office accommodation and business parks. Lyon saw a 43% increase in office space around the station after their High Speed Rail link to Paris opened. Reports suggest land prices rose by 35% and passenger journeys rose by 32%. 32 PERCENT increase in high speed use betweeen Paris and Lyon 35 PERCENT increase in Lyon s land prices after high speed rail opened PERCENT increase in office space around Lyon s station after high speed rail opened

16 HS2 A CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION Developing skills locally As the city develops, grows and prospers with HS2, there will be a wealth of opportunities for young people. With new jobs and careers there is a real chance to halt the loss of young, creative talent to London. In addition to the roles created by industries locating in the Leeds City Region for the first time, HS2 s physical infrastructure will generate a need for a skilled workforce to maintain, service and operate it. This presents an opportunity for these skills to be filled locally from the region s range of training, higher and further education providers. 16

17 High speed rail should set a new benchmark in engineering careers demanding the highest standards of skills development and apprenticeships. We will do everything we can to link the new workforce to HS2 jobs. Tom Riordan, Chief Executive Leeds City Council HS2 will bring new engineering jobs, directly supporting the operation of this new state-of-the-art infrastructure. The Leeds City Region boasts eight universities and a vast number of further education and technical training providers including Leeds City College, Leeds College of Building, Kirklees College Engineering Centre and the Institute of Railway Research at Hudderfield University, which aims to become a world leading centre of railway engineering research. A new depot in Wakefield will create a role for specialist engineers and apprentices, developing a skilled workforce within the City Region. The Leeds City Region is working with a wide range of partners to provide super-fast and reliable broadband to position it in the top league of intelligent cities. As the benefits of this programme roll out across the region, helping the South Bank earn its reputation as a creative and intelligent hub, there is a chance to stem the flow of graduates and young people to London and fill opportunities right here in the Leeds City Region. As has happened at King s Cross Central, the dynamic mix of leading companies and education institutes in close proximity could create a world-class creative hub, right on the South Bank in Leeds City Centre. Network Rail Case study: York Engineer s Triangle York is the largest city for the rail industry outside of London, with 10% of the national rail industry located in the city, employing around 5,000 people. Work is currently underway to construct Network Rail s York Engineers Triangle, one of 14 state of the art rail industry training centres in the UK. Occupying a 2.8 acre site, the college includes a modern, purpose-built teaching facility. With such expertise already within the region, there is a workforce ready to seize the opportunities brought by HS2. 8UNIVERSITIES in the Leeds City Region 10 PERCENT of the national rail industry located in York 5THOUSAND rail-related jobs in York 17

18 HS2 A DIVERSE PLACE OF WORLD HERITAGE AND CULTURE Jim Barton Arup Images courtesy of Welcome to Yorkshire unless credited The value of tourism Tourism is one of the largest generators of income to the Yorkshire region, with Welcome to Yorkshire estimating it s value at 7bn annually. In York, visitors spent 606m in Of this total, 75% was spent by leisure visitors and 25% was spent by business visitors to the city. 7BILLION pounds estimated annual value of tourism to Yorkshire 18

19 Leeds is at the heart of our great county. From here you are on the doorstep of the whole of Yorkshire. You are under an hour from our heritage coast and our great maritime city of Hull. You are also under an hour from three National Parks and our five other diverse and amazing cities. There is nowhere else in the country where you can experience all of that. Gary Verity, Chief Executive, Welcome to Yorkshire HS2 will become the new gateway to the North, redirecting tourist spend from the South into the Leeds City Region s diverse mix of heritage and cultural attractions. The visitor economy is responsible for employing a huge number of people regionally, supporting 20,200 jobs in York alone. In the Leeds City Region, the arrival of Le Tour in 2014 is estimated to be worth in excess of 100m to the economy of Leeds and its surrounding area. The Tour de France has showcased the region on an international stage and will attract new visitors in subsequent years. As awareness of what the region has to offer grows, the ease of travel brought by HS2 will entice more and more people to come and see for themselves what we have to offer, with direct benefits to the region s economy. Following Le Tour and with the introduction of HS2, the Leeds City Region will be seen as a successful venue to host major sporting and cultural events. What could Yorkshire host next? 23 MILLION tourists came to Leeds in MILLION pounds estimated value of Le Tour to the local economy Case study: Le Tour Yorkshire, is the first time Le Tour has visited the north of England. With a worldwide television audience of over 3bn people, millions watched the event from the roadside throughout the region. 3BILLION people watch Le Tour on television every year 19

20 HS2 LEEDS CITY REGION IS READY TO GO! ACTION PLAN ACTIONS 2014 LEEDS CITY REGION HS2 GROWTH STRATEGY & FUNDING REQUIREMENTS Summer 2014 East West Connectivity and Northern Infrastructure Study Phase 1: Initial Review Autumn 2014 HS2 Station: Urban Design, Transport and Regeneration Study Eastern Leg Economic Benefits Study End of 2014 East West Connectivity and Northern Infrastructure Phase 2: Solutions Leeds City Region & Northern Connectivity Final Analysis Proposition to Government: Leeds City Region HS2 Growth & Funding Requirements HS2 Phase 2 Consultation Outcome Early 2015 Leeds City Centre Transport Strategy Business Case HS2 Phase 2 Hybrid Bill Preparation HS2 Phase 2 Construction and Completion Delivering our priorities For the Leeds City Region, HS2 is about bringing economic growth, jobs and regeneration to the heart of the city, and seeing the effects spread across the City Region. Together, the Leeds City Region will support and champion the development of HS2 and commit to a series of actions to capitalise on everything HS2 has to offer. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with significant potential for growth in Leeds and across the Leeds City Region. Land values will be realised, jobs will be introduced, business rates for the improvement of the city captured and opportunities for young people seeking an exciting career will be created. 20

21 Locally we are committed to working with government and partners to ensure that the whole of Leeds City Region seizes the significant opportunities and benefits for good growth this national investment presents for generations to come. Leeds City Region is well on the way to being HS2 ready. Roger Marsh, LEP Chair and HS2 Growth Taskforce Together, the Leeds City Region will make sure that our people, businesses, cities and transport are ready for HS2. Getting our people ready 1. Leeds City Region is working with key industry partners to understand the profile of job opportunities in the city and across the region. This will be reflected in skills plans and delivered through the established City Region Skills Network. 2. Our skills team will, through the procurement process, work with contractors and their supply chain to support them to deliver employment and skills opportunities for young people to deliver the station and the surrounding development. Work with contractors over the last 12 months has delivered over 800 local residents into work through this route. 3 Embedding best practice into how people can access jobs and opportunities will be at the heart of the programme, working with award winning providers such as BitC, Leeds Education Business Partnership, the Prince s Trust and the Ahead Partnership. Getting our businesses ready 1. Leeds City Region will work with and alongside local businesses to assist with accessing contracts and opportunities along the supply chain. 2. Business briefings and workshops on how to access new markets will be delivered with our key business partners in the region. Getting our transport network ready 1. A three tier action plan for transport has been identified as: get the station right; get the city centre right; get the region right. 2. Work is already underway through the West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund and the transportation strategy for Leeds City Centre is well advanced. 3. Funding options are being considered across the wider region to realise the potential and scale of jobs around the stations at Bradford, Halifax, Huddersfield, Wakefield and York, dovetailing with work in Leeds City Centre. Getting our City Region ready 1. The Leeds City Region is aligning investment plans for HS2 and the new city centre station to ensure that we capture the wider regeneration opportunities. 2. We are creating a masterplan for the city centre to join together our aspirations and design principles for the area around the new station with an investment strategy. This will be a shared and deliverable vision for the city. 3. The city is considering mechanisms for delivery to ensure there is the capacity and leadership to deliver these plans. 3. Meet the Buyer events will be programmed throughout the lifecycle of the HS2 development. 21

22 HS2 STAY INFORMED ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING Welcome to Yorkshire 22

23 There are a number of ways in which you can stay informed about what is happening with HS2, get in contact, and show your support for HS2 coming to Leeds and the City Region. Find out more General information about the eastern leg of the HS2 network, including the proposed route, and key facts and figures can be found on the HS2 website at: Connected Cities City Council Leaders including Bradford, Derby, Hull, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield and York have launched a Connected Cities campaign group, speaking with one clear voice to press key national decision makers to commit delivering HS2 to the North. Connected Cities is built upon a strong local consensus amongst key business and political leaders from each city. The website is available here: Become an HS2 ambassador You can also keep informed about local developments and show your support for HS2 coming to the Leeds City Region by signing up to become an ambassador. You will receive details on how you can become a HS2 ambassador by pledging your support at: Next steps This brochure sets out our initial response to the Government s Growth Task Force report, setting out what HS2 will mean for the City Region and how we are rising to the challenge to be HS2 ready. We look forward to working with Sir David Higgins to address the challenges set out in his report HS2 Plus, integrating HS2 with the existing rail network, and transforming connectivity across the North. As we drive forward this agenda, we hope that the Government will support the outcomes of our work. 23

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