High-speed rail network: Second phase details revealed

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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U.K. government has revealed the details regarding the second phase of the £32bn HS2 high-speed rail network, with the ultimate plan of linking London with Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds on the successful completion of phase two.

The plans ha sbeen announced by the Department of Transport and HS2 Ltd on Monday and told two Y shaped spur lines will be built north of Birmingham. The eastern line will go on to Leeds via stops at Toton Sidings, to the south of Nottingham, and Meadowhall, near Sheffield. The second one will go north west to Crewe, and will further split to create two seperate lines onward to Manchester and Liverpool.

Chancellor, George Osborne has admitted the £32bn worth project was expensive and would take many years to complete, but has also pointed towards the creation of “tens of thousands of jobs”.

Many critics are however, of the view that the plan contains many flaws.

In response to the government’s claim that improved infrastructure will lead to a subsequent growth in the northern economy, the majority of opponents of the scheme say the north needs to be redeveloped now, not when the line is completed in 2033.

Some critics raised the point of having a little evidence to suggest that the introduction of the new lines will help in reduction of regional inequalities across the country.

Chairman of the Stop HS2 campaign group, Penny Gaines has said: “The Government talks about jobs, and regenerating the north, but in reality, high speed rail projects elsewhere have sucked jobs to the capital cities, away from the regions. HS2 focuses on long distance journeys, when the main passenger growth is in regional and local areas.

HS2 is a London-centric proposal that seems focused on extending the London commuter belt beyond Birmingham, when we need to create an engine for growth in the north, providing access to jobs for people who want to live and work in the north.”

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