'Landmark moment' for Transport as HS2 to Manchester bill laid in Parliament.

52-mile HS2 extension to Manchester via Manchester Airport set to support 17,500 jobs.

Monday 24th January 2022 marked a ‘landmark moment’ in improving the North West’s rail connections as the bill to extend HS2 was laid in Parliament.

Phase 2b of the high-speed line will cut journey times by 55 minutes from London to Manchester, ministers say.

The bill was laid on Monday and is called the ‘High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill’. It sets out legislation to construct the next phase of Britain’s new high-speed, zero carbon railway. This will be known as the Phase 2b Western Leg.

High Speed Stations

The 85km route includes positives such as new high-speed stations at Manchester Airport and Manchester Piccadilly. In addition it provides the critical infrastructure required for Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) and new Metrolink routes. This will make Manchester the best-connected city outside of London. Work is currently under way on phase one of HS2 between London and Birmingham, set to open between 2029 and 2033.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: "We are determined to improve transport connections and level up communities across the country, and this bill marks a landmark moment as we bring HS2 to Manchester and lay the foundations for Northern Powerhouse Rail."

Significant Benefits

HS2 said phase 2b would deliver "significant connectivity, reliability and journey time benefits" for passengers travelling between Scotland, the North, the Midlands and the South East.

Among other things, the 52-mile route includes new high-speed stations at Manchester Airport and Manchester Piccadilly.

It will also provide the infrastructure required for Northern Powerhouse Rail, a new high-speed line between Warrington, Manchester and Marsden in Yorkshire.

HS2 Ltd boss Mark Thurston said “HS2 has an integral role to play in levelling up and rebalancing Britain's economy, and this extension of the network fuels that role by bringing the country's economic centres in the North and Midlands closer together,”

"Construction of the first phase of HS2 is already supporting over 20,000 jobs and spearheading investment and growth in major population centres along the route," he added.

"This bill is a vote of confidence in HS2's ability to help towns and cities in the North realise their economic potential."

Integrated Rail Plan

In November, the government promised to deliver similar benefits to its original plan faster and more cheaply, through the Integrated Rail Plan.

Having considered feedback, the government has also confirmed the four technical refinements to the bill set out in its October 2020 consultation.

These are:

- A new Crewe Northern Connection to support the vision for a Crewe Hub
- Changes to the rolling stock depot at Crewe
- Expansions to both Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport High Speed stations
- New train depot at Annandale in Dumfries and Galloway

The construction of HS2 to Manchester will allow capacity to double on the routes between Manchester to London.

£96bn Investment

Transport Minister Grant Shapps said: ”Our £96bn investment in rail in the North and Midlands and in connecting them to London will bring communities together, create thousands of jobs and make towns and cities in these key areas more attractive to business up to 10 years quicker than under any previous plans.

"The Integrated Rail Plan is the blueprint for the government’s commitment to building better transport links, generating prosperity and opportunity across the North and Midlands, bringing benefits up to 10 years sooner than previously planned, all while delivering on levelling up the country."

HS2 minister Andrew Stephenson added: "We have time and time again proven our commitment to improving transport connections throughout the North and levelling up communities in the process.”

Mark Thurston, HS2 Boss said:

“HS2 has an integral role to play in levelling up and rebalancing Britain's economy, and this extension of the network fuels that role by bringing the country's economic centres in the North and Midlands closer together,”

"Construction of the first phase of HS2 is already supporting over 20,000 jobs and spearheading investment and growth in major population centres along the route," he added.

"This bill is a vote of confidence in HS2's ability to help towns and cities in the North realsie their economic potential."