YORKSHIRE should summon the spirit behind its Tour de France Grand Départ to make the arrival of high-speed rail an economic success, a think tank has said.
The Leeds City Region - of which Bradford is a part - needs a long-term brand to capitalise on the arrival of the HS2 link, according to a new report by the Independent Transport Commission (ITC).
The report, being unveiled today, warns that while high-speed rail is often a catalyst for growth, it is rarely the driver.
It says to capitalise on the arrival of HS2, the Leeds city region needs a narrative "comparable with the spirit of Yorkshire Cycling stemming from the Grand Départ event of the Tour de France".
This story can then frame the role of the HS2 station planned in Leeds city centre, "to create a place of arrival that everyone in the region can be proud of and to which they want to invite people".
The report also stresses the importance of joining HS2 with local transport links to make sure this Yorkshire rail hub effectively serves the wider area.
Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin, who will be at the report's unveiling in Leeds today, said: "I welcome this report and the guiding principles it sets out."
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