Leading economist and member of the National Infrastructure Commission Bridget Rosewell is to attend the Independent Transport Commission (ITC) launch of High Speed Rail and Connected Cities: Accessible Places for Growing Economies on Monday 16th May at Leeds Town Hall.
The Independent Transport Commission (ITC) has been running a major research project investigating how High Speed Rail will shape our cities and regions, which has had a major impact on the national debate. Following a programme of expert panels, workshops in the UK city-regions, and study visits to mainland Europe, the ITC released its influential report, Ambitions and Opportunities, at a launch with Sir Albert Bore, Sir David Higgins and the Secretary of State in November 2014.
The ITC is now completing the final phase of the study, entitled ‘Disseminating the Insights’. This phase has seen the ITC exploring the insights from Ambitions and Opportunities in collaboration with the city regions through a series of national workshops during 2015. The outcome of the workshops is a report identifying key principles related to the insights from the ITC’s research, identifying what is special to each city, and how initiatives can be tailored to capture the greatest value for each place.
To mark the completion of this concluding report, the ITC will launch High Speed Rail and Connected Cities: Accessible Places for Growing Economies, at a high-profile event on Monday 16 May 2016. The key note address will be given by Secretary of State for Transport, The Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP, hosted in the magnificent surroundings of Leeds Town Hall.
The morning launch session will include additional keynote statements from our host Cllr Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds City Council, and Dr Pete Waterman of the Cheshire and Warrington LEP.
In the afternoon the ITC will also run a workshop that will bring together representatives from across the city regions, including Bridget Rosewell, to explore the opportunities for collaborative working and place shaping in order to capture the economic benefits from HS2 and associated infrastructure investment.
