Government confirms that HS2 eastern leg is scrapped as business leaders react with anger

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has comfirmed that the eastern leg of HS2, which had been planned to go through the East Midlands from Birmingham, and onto Leeds, has been scrapped.

Speaking in the House of Commons this morning (November 18) Shapps said “a rethink is necessary” because the original HS2 plans would “take decades to deliver”.

Shapps and Prime Minister had last year committed to delivering the HS2 line through the East Midlands – the so-called Phase 2b of the project.

In his statement to the Commons, the Transport Secretary announced a £96bn investment plan that would see three new high speed rail routes introduced: from Crewe to Manchester; from Birmingham to the East Midlands Parkway station; and from Warrington to Manchester to West Yorkshire.

The decision to axe the East Midlands leg of HS2 has met with anger from local business leaders.

East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire) chief executive Scott Knowles said: “Today’s announcement comes as a bitter blow to communities in the East Midlands that have spent such a long time planning for the arrival of HS2, only to now be faced with a reneging on clear commitments repeatedly made by our country’s leaders.”

Meanwhile Michelle Craven-Faulkner, partner and rail lead at Shoosmiths, said: “The eastern leg of HS2 was set to create new gateways to parts of the UK that are currently underserved by fast rail links, while also improving connectivity cross country between some of our major cities. The proposed infrastructure had one of the best economic cases of any part of the new high-speed rail network, supporting 74,000 new jobs and £4bn in gross value added in the East Midlands alone.

“Improving the rail system isn’t just about the economic and social benefits, though. Rail travel has key environmental advantages. While the new plans will go some way to upgrading local transport links, scaling back high-speed rail will limit much needed connectivity and hinder the UK’s journey to net zero.

“Promoting a culture of rail travel is a noble aim. However, until its benefits are fully realised, and greater consideration is given to increasing capacity, reliability and speed, this will remain a dream, not a reality.”

Knowles added: “The decision not to build the eastern leg as originally planned undermines not only the benefits of the entire project but also trust in Government.

“It now rests on Westminster to explain in proper, technical detail exactly what it plans to deliver, as well as how and when, in order to prevent the East Midlands from being structurally disadvantaged for generations to come.

“For our own region, it’s never been more crucial for our political and business leaders to come together and prepare a collective response for how we move forward.”

Despite this disappointment, the Integrated Rail Plan (IRP) did outline investment in the East Midlands.

ThePlan shows that “HS2 East”, which won’t be completed until “early-to-mid-2040s” will run direct from central Nottingham to Birmingham in 26 minutes, down from 1 hour 14 minutes now, and from central Nottingham to London in 57 minutes. HS2 will also run from London to Sheffield in 1 hour 27 minutes.

There will also be the complete electrification of the Midland Main Line from London to Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield.

The IRP also outlines a new parkway station at Toton, linking the HS2 East line with Nottingham and Derby. The Government says it will also accelerate transport improvements at Toton, such as a station for local/ regional services, with delivery subject to significant private sector investment – on a 50:50 match-funded basis with the taxpayer.

The IRP states: “We will accelerate plans for an East Midlands Delivery Vehicle covering Toton and other regional regeneration sites. We will look to exploit any linkages with other investment in Nottinghamshire, including the proposals for the Robin Hood Line Extension and reopening the Maid Marian line.”

Sir John Peace, chair of Midlands Connect, said the new plans will give businesses certainty: “Today’s announcement gives businesses and local leaders the reassurance they’ve been waiting for – that HS2 is coming to the East Midlands.

“Although these plans are different in some respects to what we’d expected, there are a lot of positives in here and lots of things to be excited about – a new high speed connection between Birmingham and East Midlands Parkway, direct links onto HS2 for Derby, Nottingham, and Chesterfield and a commitment to the Midlands Rail Hub.

“Now that we have certainty, we must focus our efforts on delivery. Our challenge to Government is simple, it should move as quickly as possible to get spades in the ground and bring benefits to local people sooner.”

Richard Blackmore, CBI Midlands director, said: “High quality infrastructure is fundamental to rising living standards and levelling up the country.

“The Integrated Rail Plan is a significant investment that will go some way towards modernising our ageing rail networks and can be delivered at pace.

“But businesses across the Midlands and Northern England will be justifiably disappointed to see the goalposts have moved at the eleventh hour, and concerned that some of the areas most sorely in need of development will lose out as a result of the scaled back plans.”