HS2’s route north is confirmed by Government
MINISTERS are pressing ahead with £55bn HS2 plans despite several years of delays and controversy.
The Government has now decided where it wants HS2 in the North, from Birmingham to Leeds and Crewe to Manchester.
There remains confusion over the Sheffield station, after plans for a Meadowhall stop were scrapped in favour of a city centre site which would save £1bn, but would require cutting through a residential development in Mexborough. A final decision on the site of the Sheffield station will be made at a later date.
It will connect the East Midlands to South Yorkshire first, before moving up to Leeds where a new HS2 station will be built. HS2 will also have a connection to the East Coast Main Line, allowing HS2 to serve York, Newcastle and the rest of the North East.
The new routes between Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham and London would deliver 14,900 seats per hour, more than the 4,700 provided currently.
A statement from the Department of Transport said that HS2 trains will carry 300,000 people a day and triple the number of seats on trains out of Euston at peak times.
A final decision will not be made until next year, but the plans indicate a timeline of 17 years. The first phase between London and Birmingham is due to be completed in 2027. The split routes to Yorkshire and the North West will be completed by 2033.
HS2 Ltd has also announced contractors for sections of the £900m first phase.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: “HS2 is an ambitious and exciting project and the Government is seizing the opportunity it offers to build a transport network fit for the 21st century, one that works for all and makes clear to the world that Britain remains open for business.
“The full HS2 route will be a game-changer for the country that will slash journey times and perhaps most importantly give rail passengers on the existing network thousands of extra seats every day. They represent the greatest upgrade to our railway in living memory.”
