HS2 would widen UK north-south divide and should be axed, says report

Thinktank says London would benefit most and money should go to less wealthy areas instead

The government's planned HS2 high-speed rail project will make the UK even more divided and should be scrapped in favour of boosting services in the less well-off parts of the country, a left-leaning thinktank has said.

A report from the New Economics Foundation found that 40% of the benefits of the controversial project would go to London and that the 56bn budget would be better spent on upgrading the existing network and smaller-scale local projects.

Full electrification of much of the northern rail network.

The reopening of the trans-Pennine Woodhead line between Manchester and Sheffield to provide a fourth east-west link in the north.

A Bradford Crossrail to link the two lines that terminate in the city and put it at the centre of northern rail.

The full electrification of the Midland and Great Western lines.

The creation of more four-track sections on the three core, north-south mainlines and the building of bridges to take slower, regional lines over intercity tracks to speed up long distance journeys.