HS2 boss calls for section north of Birmingham to be built more quickly
HS2 chairman Sir David Higgins is calling for work on the northern section of the high-speed rail project to be started earlier so that the predicted delivery date of 2032 could be brought forward by five years.
Mirroring comments made by business secretary Vince Cable over the weekend, Sir David’s new report to the Government – called HS2 Plus – also said the line north of Birmingham, which splits in a Y shape before heading to Leeds and Manchester, should be extended by 43 miles to run as far as Crewe where a new hub or interchange would be built.
But, with an eye to cost saving, Sir David questioned whether a planned £500m link between HS2 and the HS1 Channel Tunnel route is viable.
With the Heathrow spur already in doubt, fast links from the Midlands to the Continent and further afield via train and plane would appear to be slipping down the list of priorities.
Jerry Blackett, chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: “We will need to study closely the plans to drop the HS2-HS1 connection. The potential for businesses going to and from the Continent in one journey has been important to Midlands businesses.
“I appreciate Sir David has applied three tests to the existing HS2 work – being strategic fit, value for money, and longevity of the solutions – and that this aspect of the design has failed to pass these thresholds.
“There is interesting work going on to connect Crossrail 2 via an underground station between St. Pancras/Euston. I imagine it will be solutions like these that might now apply to HS2/HS1 connectivity. The Chamber looks forward to discussing options with HS2.”
The first phase of HS2 is scheduled to link Birmingham and London by 2026 with work starting in 2017.
Under the existing plans for phase two, tracks to cities including Leeds and Manchester would be built by 2032 or 2033.
The projected cost of the project is about £43bn but this estimate does not include the trains, which will cost about £7bn.
Sir David said HS2 is “vital for the future of the country” and said it could be “a catalyst for fundamental change”.
If his plans to speed up phase two were adopted, he said, “it would deliver the benefits of HS2 – in terms of better services to the north – much sooner”.
The response to Sir David’s report from business leaders has been positive.
Katja Hall, CBI chief policy director, said: “This report will help build confidence in the budget, delivery and benefits of HS2.
“The best way to keep a lid on costs is to move to the construction stage quickly and we would urge politicians on all sides of the House to get behind this important project.
“HS2 will connect eight of our ten largest cities and boost local economies along the route, and the proposed interchange at Crewe is particularly good news for the north.”
And Blackett from the Great Birmingham Chambers group said: “I welcome Sir David’s comments on the potential of HS2 to drive transformational regeneration.
“HS2 has always been about increased rail capacity and the potential to use the station investment in particular as a catalyst for a far-reaching programme of physical and skills-led transformation.”
“The plan to build through to Crewe as part of the Phase 1 London to Birmingham work looks very sensible. Importantly, this will reduce the environmental impact of the build for Lichfield and the surrounding area – something that has been a worry for our businesses in that part of the region. So this is very good news.
“The wider region will also benefit from the released capacity and we urgently need HS2 and Network Rail to move soon to full and comprehensive consultation on the best use of the spare capacity that will be created once the new line has been built.
“It is vital to the West Midlands economy that we stich in this spare capacity to maximise services for both passengers and freight locally. In some cases, the frequency and punctuality of local services will be transformed.”
