Transport
Secretary Philip Hammond has today announced which network option
the Government prefers for taking high speed rail north of Birmingham.
The Government will consult early next year on building a ‘Y’
shaped high speed rail network with separate legs from the West
Midlands to each of Manchester and Leeds. A Y shaped route would
allow the East Midlands and South Yorkshire to be served by the
high speed rail network, as well as Leeds, Manchester and the
North West.
Philip Hammond said:
"We have committed to a high speed rail network that
will change the social and economic geography of Britain;
connecting our great population centres and our international
gateways; transforming the way Britain works as profoundly as the
coming of the original railways did in the mid-19th century.
"So we will consult in the New Year on the strategic
roll-out of a High Speed Rail network and on our preferred route
for the first leg between London and Birmingham.
"But I can announce today that the Government’s
preferred option for High Speed Rail north of Birmingham will be
for two separate corridors. One direct to Manchester, and then
connecting on to the West Coast Mainline, and the other via the
East Midlands and South Yorkshire – with stations in both areas –
before connecting to the East Coast Mainline north of Leeds. The
so-called “Y” option.
"Giving us High Speed Rail connectivity – not just
between London and Birmingham, but onwards to Leeds and
Manchester. A strategic project that will make rail the mode of
choice for most inter-city journeys within the UK, and for many beyond."
Mr Hammond has been considering advice from HS2 Ltd - the
Government company set up to examine the case for high speed rail
- on the relative benefits of the 'Y' route
against a 'reverse S' shaped route from
Birmingham to Manchester and then across the Pennines to Leeds.
HS2 Ltd found that the Y network would deliver a total of £25
billion more benefits than the reverse S.
HS2 Ltd published detailed route proposals for a high speed rail
line from London to Birmingham earlier this year. Work is
currently underway to refine the preferred route identified in
that report and the Secretary of State will set out the
Government’s final preferred route for consultation later this year.
Notes to Editors
1. The Government has concluded that the “Y” route would offer
greater relative benefits than the alternative 'reverse
S' route option. These include:
(i) faster journey times to Leeds and the North East;
(ii) ability to serve additional markets such as East Midlands
and South Yorkshire;
(iii) over 40,000 more trips daily; and
(iv) the ability to generate far greater released capacity on the
Midland and East Coast main lines, benefiting commuter and
regional markets.
2. The Y option also has a stronger business case, stemming from
both higher projected transport benefits (around £15bn greater)
and revenue (around £10bn greater).
3. The chosen network option will be included in the consultation
on the Government’s strategy for high speed rail, planned for the
early part of 2011. And subject to the outcome of this
consultation and further detailed work by HS2 Ltd, there would
then be a detailed consultation on the line of route for Leeds and Manchester.
Press Enquires: 020 7944 3108
Out of Hours: 020 7944 4292 Public
Enquiries: 0300 330 3000 Department for
Transport Website: http://www.dft.gov.uk
www.twitter.com/transportgovuk
| www.youtube.com/transportgovuk
| www.flickr.com/transportgovuk
Contacts:
DfT Press Office - Rail
Phone: 020 7944 3108
nds.dft@coi.gsi.gov.uk