A NORTH East MP has spoken of the benefits HS2 could bring to the region if the planned line to Leeds goes ahead.

Sedgefield MP Paul Howell has voiced his opinion on the controversial HS2,

Mr Howell said in the HS2 Yorkshire and North East Voices report: “Historically there has been too much media attention focused on saving 5-10 minutes on a route, but I see HS2 in the bigger context of capacity on our railways. This is important because wherever you look, there isn’t enough capacity – for example the proposed LNER timetable changes will actually reduce services to Darlington. Capacity is key because it’s difficult to overtake on a railway. It doesn’t matter if you’re on a fast-moving passenger train if it gets stuck behind a slow-moving freight train. HS2 is necessary and will release capacity and needs to be coupled with regional rail links like Northern Powerhouse Rail, alongside upgrades to local services.

For example, the re-opening of lines such as Leamside would create a second North East route that goes through smaller towns, releasing traffic and freight from the East Coast Main Line and encouraging more people to use public transport. We also need to reintroduce a station at Ferryhill.

This should be approved soon and will connect communities from Sedgefield to Teesside, and as such, communities to jobs.

To resonate with the electorate, rail services need to reach all communities. It’s not just about Newcastle to London, it’s about Middlesbrough, Stockton, and all those smaller places – they all need better connections.

These are communities that have the lowest car ownership going, and poor public transport connections mean long journey times. The economic impact of better rail services at a local level could be transformational and have a domino effect.

For example, if there is a small railway station somewhere, somebody will open a sandwich shop and then a newsagents will open and it can spiral from there. Railways can transform communities.

One of the strengths to me of the Government’s Treasury North project in Darlington is that decision makers will see how nonurban transport works. The further you step away from the urban centre, the more transport needs to be planned. In London there is a flurry of public transport options.