A campaign to extend the HS2 high-speed rail link to Liverpool was launched at the end of last month. Phillip Blond — one of the leaders of the campaign and a director of the ResPublica ‘think tank’, claims that the extension of the line could generate £8 billion for the city region’s economy over the next 20 years.

The 20 Miles More campaign is proposing that additional track should be laid to link Liverpool directly to the HS2 network, east of Warrington. Mr Blond and his business
associates have published an ‘open letter’ signed by prominent individuals in Merseyside, including: Mersey Maritime Group chief executive Jim Teasdale; the Earl of Derby, who is president of the Liverpool, Knowsley and Sefton Chambers of Commerce; and Guy Wallis, co-founder of the DWF law firm and founder of the Liverpool in London ‘business embassy’.

Mr Blond said: “The campaign came about when a group of us looked at the current HS2 proposals, and those of us that love Liverpool were appalled and aghast. We believe that the current plans would strangle Liverpool’s renaissance and cut the new Super-Port off from the rest of the country, consigning Liverpool to ‘third-class’ status.”

Mr Blond added that, according to Government figures, the cost of extending the line to Liverpool would be £1.5 billion (the total project cost is currently estimated at £42.6 billion). “In my view, the Liverpool connection is what makes the whole line worthwhile. The reaction from people has been overwhelmingly positive; I think there's every chance of success.”