Former Chancellor of the Exchequer backs 拢7bn high-speed rail network for the North

Osborne looks at work

The north of England should get high-speed railway lines to help boost the region鈥檚 economy, according to George Osborne, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Writing in the Financial Times, Osborne, who strongly backed a 鈥楴orthern Powerhouse鈥� when he sat alongside former Prime Minister David Cameron in the coalition government, said the move could transform the region鈥檚 economy.

While it might cost as much as 拢7bn, he wrote: 鈥淚t would bring seven million extra people 鈥� and three times the number of businesses 鈥� within a 90-minute journey time of one of the northern cities.

鈥淭here is no geographical reason why this cannot happen. The distance between Manchester and Leeds is shorter than the length of the Central line on the London Underground.

鈥淭he Northern Powerhouse Rail fits with May鈥檚 stated objective of building an economy that works for everyone.鈥�

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