The National Infrastructure Commission has recommended the Government take immediate action and bring forward proposals to boost the HS3 programme.
In its third report, High Speed North, the organisation stated the North "needs immediate and very significant investment" for action, in addition to developing a plan for the regions longer term transformation.
The Commission's chair Lord Adonis has now urged government to 'kick-start' HS3, creating a 'higher frequency' network from Liverpool in the west to Hull and Newcastle in the east.
This would be done by incorporating key northern sections of HS2, upgrading lines, and installing sections of new track where necessary.
In addition, future route decisions on the northern sections of HS2 should also support enhanced high-speed connections within the North, including between Leeds-Sheffield, Liverpool-Manchester, and Sheffield-Newcastle.
Recommendations are also in place to redevelop Manchester Piccadilly as well as carrying out 'urgent improvements' to the M62 between Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds.
Lord Adonis said: "If the North is to become a powerhouse it has to be better connected.
"Leeds and Manchester are just forty miles apart but there is no quick and easy way to travel between the two. In rush hour it can take more than two hours by car, by train it can be almost an hour.
"So we should kick start HS3 across the Pennines and slash journey times to just 30 minutes. But we must not wait decades for change - journey times should be cut to 40 minutes by 2022.
"A transformed northern rail network should include high speed connections to HS2 and the dramatic redevelopment of Manchester Piccadilly to deliver jobs and investment across the centre of the city.
"By road, major improvements should be brought forward to transform the M62 between Liverpool and Leeds, cutting journey times by up to 20% and increasing capacity by a third, alongside the development of a major strategy to enhance the entire motorway network including access to Britain's third busiest airport - Manchester Airport.
"A better connected north will be better for jobs, better for families and better for Britain. The work should begin as quickly as possible."
(LM/MH)
Construction News
15/03/2016
NIC Report Urges Govt To Kick-Start HS3 Programme


02/07/2025
Construction is officially underway on the new Whitefield Community Fire Station, part of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service's (GMFRS) £38 million Estates Improvement Programme.
Led by Robertson Construction North West, the project will replace the former fire station on Bury New Road with

02/07/2025
Hull City Council has officially appointed Esh Construction to lead a major repair and strengthening programme on Drypool Bridge, one of the city's key transport links.
The project will be delivered in partnership with engineering consultancy Mason Clark Associates.
Work will begin on the south s

02/07/2025
Award-winning housebuilder The Hill Group has announced record financial results for the year ending 31 March 2025, marking its second consecutive year of historic growth.
The company reported a turnover of £1.15 billion and a pre-tax profit of £90.5 million, completing more than 2,800 new homes a

02/07/2025
Women in Construction Anglia (WICA) and Suffolk Chamber of Commerce have voiced strong support for the government's new plans to increase the construction workforce by 100,000 people annually.
The announcement follows the launch of the first Construction Skills Mission Board, attended by Work and P

02/07/2025
Huddersfield Station will undergo a significant upgrade this autumn as part of the multi-billion-pound Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU), with a full 30-day closure scheduled from Saturday 30 August to Sunday 28 September 2025.
The closure represents a major milestone in the delivery of a faster, gr

02/07/2025
Procurement Hub, part of Places for People (PfP), has confirmed a two-year extension of its flagship Major Projects Framework 2 (MPF2), extending its term until 2028 after achieving more than £300 million in social value since its launch in 2022.
Designed to deliver a more efficient, equitable, and

02/07/2025
Two Galliford Try employees have received commendations at this year's British Ex-Forces in Business Awards, recognising their outstanding contributions and leadership within the construction industry after transitioning from military service.
Pam McNeill, Business Assurance Manager for Galliford T

02/07/2025
The government has announced a landmark £39 billion investment to deliver around 300,000 new social and affordable homes across the UK over the next decade, in a major bid to tackle the housing crisis and provide secure housing for families and children stuck in temporary accommodation.
Under the n

02/07/2025
Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is one of the most dangerous gases found in industrial environments.
Colourless, highly toxic, and often referred to as the "silent killer", it's particularly hazardous because it can quickly deaden the sense of smell, giving workers a false sense of security.
Even a

02/07/2025
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has welcomed the Construction Leadership Council's (CLC) new Health, Safety and Wellbeing Strategy, describing it as a much-needed step toward driving change across the construction industry.
FMB Chief Executive Brian Berry joined over 140 industry leaders at