Industrial Strategy: Crossrail 2 questioned amid calls to close North-South output gap

The Government's forthcoming Industrial Strategy White Paper must "tackle the UK's geographically-lopsided economy," and this means "hard choices" over the approval of Crossrail 2, according to commentatory.

The Guardian's Business leader says that to close the output gap where only four places outside south-east England have productivity above the national average will mean "London cannot always get first call on big projects". It says that the Northern Powerhouse Rail scheme to improve connectivity in the M62 corridor and up to Newcastle may have to take precedence over Crossrail 2, as it highlighted Centre for Cities research suggesting that output per worker in places such as London, Reading, Slough and Milton Keynes was 44% higher than in other parts of Britain, while productivity in Stoke, Doncaster, Blackburn, and Mansfield was 25% below the national average.

Last week's Budget did not contain funding approval for the Crossrail 2 project, and Surrey County Council in response issued an "urgent" plea for funding for a "once-in-a-generation opportunity". Cllr David Hodge, Surrey CC leader, reached out to transport secretary Chris Grayling to "urgently identify the funding," it was reported in the local press.