A new report has revealed plans for a rail link between the Midlands and the North-west, “at a far lower cost” than the scrapped HS2 northern leg.

The Mayors of Greater Manchester and the West Midlands commissioned a private sector consortium to review the role of enhanced connectivity in catalysing growth, skills and jobs across the city-regions, and to explore opportunities for greater private sector involvement in delivering and financing new solutions.

The review was chaired by infrastructure expert and former HS2 chairman Sir David Higgins and led by Arup alongside a private sector consortium of Addleshaw Goddard, Arcadis, Dragados, EY, Mace and Skanska.

The report found that a new 80km Midlands-North West Rail Link (MNWRL) should be built, in stages and in partnership with private investors to provide the capacity and connectivity benefits of HS2, but at “a far lower cost”.

The report says the link will connect towns and cities across the Midlands and the North, providing critical capacity and better service for passengers and freight across the UK.

The northern leg of HS2, beyond Birmingham, was scrapped in October last year.

This new report says “doing nothing” on this corridor is not a viable option, from either economic or operational perspectives.

Plus the Midlands-North Rail West Rail Link has the potential to connect towns and cities such as Leeds and Bradford, which is a critical connection for enhancing capacity for passengers and freight in the UK.

Andy Burham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “The report is clear: if we fail to put in place a plan soon to fix rail capacity and connectivity between the North and the Midlands, the already-congested West Coast Main Line and M6 will become major barriers to economic growth in the UK.

"But there is good news for the government. The report concludes that we do not have to revive HS2 to unlock those benefits.

“There is a viable option to build a new rail line between Lichfield and High Legh, connecting HS2 to Northern Powerhouse Rail, with almost all of the benefits of HS2 delivered quickly and crucially at a significantly lower cost.

“Doing nothing is not an option as demand for rail services on the West Coast Main Line is set to exceed capacity within a decade.

“We are ready to work with government, colleagues in the West Midlands and the business community to build a railway fit for the 21st century. But we do need early decisions to end the uncertainty."

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, added: “This report confirms what we’ve been saying – additional rail capacity to and from the North is vital for the West Midlands. It’s about more than quicker journeys; it’s about connecting people, communities, and businesses to jobs and opportunities.

“I’ll work with the government to ensure this happens, but we must also learn from successful rail systems around the world to deliver the best network and real value to the public. Without this extension, we will continue to be reliant on the West Coast mainline, which is already maxed out and impacting on the people of this region and wider.

“We need to free up capacity and we need to get this right - for our future and our economy.”

Former HS2 chairman, Sir David Higgins, said the plan aimed to get connectivity between the Midlands and the North-west “back on track”.

“We don't pretend that solving the rail challenges between these two places will be easy. We know it will be hard graft.

“What we need now is for the new government to work together with the business community and combined authorities – take the practical steps to make a new rail link a reality.

“We have conclusively shown that a new line can be built cheaper and faster – we now need to get on and deliver it.

“Taking the time now to get these strategic decisions right would come at minimal cost but potentially enormous long-term benefit to the nation.

“Our future connectivity – and by extension, the economic and social health of our society for generations to come – depends on us making the right choices today.”

The report calls for the government to establish a “steering group” involving the private sector, combined authorities and the Government to produce a feasibility study and technical analysis.

The consortium also recommends government maintains ownership of land acquired for HS2 Phase 2a between Handsacre and Crewe.

Click here to read the full report.