HS2 East Midlands station to open in Toton… in 2033

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling today confirmed the majority of the preferred HS2 route from Crewe to Manchester and the West Midlands to Leeds – and the onward route to the East Midlands.

The Eastern leg of HS2 will continue from the West Midlands to Toton in the East Midlands where a new station will be built to serve the East Midlands. but not until 2033. The route will then continue North to South Yorkshire.

There are several refinements to the Eastern leg on which Department for Transport is consulting:

· to move the route to the east of Measham in Leicestershire, avoiding the most significant impacts on local manufacturing businesses and development sites;
· to go around instead of tunnel under East Midlands Airport;
· to amend the alignment of the preferred route as it passes through Long Eaton to reduce severance in the local community and reduce impacts on the highway network and existing rail infrastructure; and
· to move the alignment of the route from Derbyshire to West Yorkshire to reflect a change in the proposals for serving the Sheffield city region, as recommended by Sir David Higgins in his report “Sheffield and South Yorkshire” published in July 2016.

The Government originally set out plans for HS2 Phase Two in 2013. Since then it was decided to develop Phase Two in two stages, Phase 2a – from the West Midlands to Crewe that was announced last year; and Phase 2b – from Crewe to Manchester and from the West Midlands to Leeds, South Yorkshire and the East Midlands.

Phase 2a will open in 2027, Phase 2b in 2033.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said:

“Our railways owe much to the Victorian engineers who pioneered them, but we cannot rest on their legacy when we face overcrowding and capacity problems.

“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.

“But while it will bring significant benefits, I recognise the difficulties faced by communities along the route. They will be treated with fairness, compassion and respect and, as with Phase One, we intend to introduce further compensation which goes over and above what is required by law.”