Written By Em

The Government has announced its preferred route for Phase 2 of HS2. The route will link Crewe to Manchester, and the West Midlands to Leeds.

When both phases of HS2 are complete in 2033, the total number of mainline commuter and intercity trains per hour into and out of Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds will almost double to 48. The total number of intercity seats will treble, to almost 15,000 per hour.

The Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, has confirmed the majority of the preferred HS2 route from Crewe to Manchester and the West Midlands to Leeds, in a major boost for the UK’s future economic prosperity.

He believes this is major step towards: significantly increasing capacity on the country’s congested railways for both passengers and freight; improving connections between the biggest cities and regions; generating jobs, skills and economic growth; and helping to build an economy that works for all.

The new HS2 trains will carry over 300,000 people per day and will treble the amount of seats available out of Euston at peak hours, freeing up space on the existing network for additional commuter and freight services.

The scheme will create around 25,000 jobs during construction and 2,000 apprenticeships. It will also support growth in the wider economy, worth an additional 100,000 jobs.

The direct benefits of HS2 will reach far beyond the towns and regions directly served by the new railway lines, insists Grayling. As the full network is completed, new HS2 trains will continue up the East and West Coast Main Lines, serving locations including:

• Stafford
• Liverpool
• Preston
• Warrington
• Wigan
• Carlisle
• Glasgow
• York
• Darlington
• Durham
• Newcastle
• Edinburgh

Government Announces Route for Phase 2 of HS2

Grayling comments: “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 21^st century; one that works for all and makes clear to the world that Britain remains open for business.”

He continues: “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 1, we intend to introduce further compensation which goes over and above what is required by law.”

The Communities Secretary, Sajid Javid, responds to the announcement: “The new HS2 routes laid out today will make sure our plans to create an economy that works for everyone remain right on track.

“We are determined to get both the Midlands Engine and Northern Powerhouse firing on all cylinders, and HS2 will help create new growth, jobs and homes right across the line.”

Grayling’s command paper, High Speed Two: from Crewe to Manchester, the West Midlands to Leeds and beyond, sets out the announcement in more detail.

On the western leg, HS2 will:

• Continue north from Crewe to Manchester Airport
• Continue from Manchester Airport to Manchester city centre, where a new HS2 station will be built next to Manchester Piccadilly

There will also be connections to Liverpool and to the existing West Coast Main Line, allowing HS2 services to continue north, serving stations to Glasgow and Edinburgh.

On the eastern leg, HS2 will:

• Continue from the West Midlands to Toton in the East Midlands, where a new HS2 station will be built to serve Nottingham, Derby and the wider region
• Continue north from the East Midlands to South Yorkshire
• In line with Sir David Higgins’ recommendation, HS2 should serve Sheffield with a connection to the existing station, with the main route to be moved further east
• From South Yorkshire, HS2 will continue to Leeds, where a new HS2 station will be built in Leeds city centre, adjacent to the existing station
• HS2 will also have a connection onto the East Coast Main Line, allowing HS2 to serve York, Newcastle and other places in the North East

Following yesterday’s announcement, the Department for Transport has issued safeguarding directions for the preferred Phase 2b route, which protects the route from conflicting development, and also means that those people who are most affected by the plans to build Phase 2b can now apply to the Government to buy their homes.

The Department is also consulting on discretionary property schemes. These schemes are the same as those currently in operation for people living along the Phase 1 route. Two of these schemes will be in operation from today on an interim basis – Express Purchase and Need to Sell. If confirmed by the Government, all schemes will be in place until one year after the railway is fully operational.

Mark Hayward, the Managing Director of the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA), explains his concerns over the announcement: “We welcome the news that the Government will pay compensation to homeowners impacted by the construction of Phase 2 of HS2. However, we remain concerned about the prospect of demolishing a brand new housing estate in Mexborough, South Yorkshire. Considerable amounts of money and time have gone into the construction of that estate, and it suggests that the Government’s approach to infrastructure construction is disjointed.

“People who bought those properties did so under the impression that they would be able to live there for years, bringing up families and creating homes. We call on the Government to fundamentally rethink its plans to ensure that the properties in Mexborough are saved and, by doing so, preserving homes for years to come”

The Government originally set out plans for Phase 2 of HS2 in 2013. Since then, it was decided to develop Phase 2 in two stages:

• Phase 2a – From the West Midlands to Crewe
• 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, while Phase 2b is scheduled for 2033.

We will continue to keep you updated on the major infrastructure projects that will affect communities and housing throughout the country, along with how they will impact on the economy.