Yesterday the Sunday Telegraph published a possible route of the second phase of HS2 from Birmingham. There has been much speculation about where the data came from.
The Y Indicative Route is based on
- Detailed description of the Y given in ‘High Level Assessment of the Wider Network Options – Reverse S and Y Networks’, HS2 Ltd (autumn 2010). This can be downloaded here.
- ‘Indicative map’ on Page 9 of ‘Economic Case for HS2’, DfT February 2011.
- ‘Indicative map’ on Page 62 of ‘High Speed Rail: Investing in Britain’s Future – Consultation’, DfT February 2011.
- Statement on page 63 of ‘High Speed Rail: Investing in Britain’s Future – Consultation’, DfT February 2011 – to indicate possible stations.
This gives the following information:
- The Birmingham to Leeds section begins by “heading north east from the West Midlands, Coleshill area…”
- Then it could “broadly follow the M42 motorway and A42″.
- There may be “an interchange close to East Midlands Airport or a well connected station facility for the Nottingham and Derby area, with Leicester being further away to the South East.” (But HS2 doesn’t commit itself to a station in the area).
- “Northwards the corridor could follow the existing M1 motorway though the natural topography would make this more challenging.”
- “Heading towards South Yorkshire, the route would become more complicated as there are no direct transport corridors to follow.”
- According to the HS2 Ltd document, the route has a total of 103 miles to the centre of Leeds (with 69 miles through “rural flat”, 21 miles rural hills, urban 8 miles and 5 miles in “short” tunnels).
- The Birmingham to Manchester section starts from Lichfield.
- It heads in a “north westerly direction broadly towards Stafford and Stoke on Trent”.
- HS2 Ltd refer to the route approaching “Manchester Airport, offering opportunities to pick up an interchange”.
- Between Lichfield and SW Manchester, HS2 Ltd say it will be 59 miles (28m rural flat, 30m rural hills and 1 m of tunnel). There will be 11 more miles to central Manchester, of which 5 miles in urban areas and 6 miles in tunnels.
People who want the Government to spend £33 billion on HS2 have tried to dismiss this route as “a child like scribble” or “pure speculation”. As you can see, however, it is based on information in different documents produced by HS2 and the Department for Transport.
HS2 is a waste of money, there is no doubt about that.
Supporters are hypocrites to claim that HSR will bring so many benefits the Britain, there is no doubt about that.
HS2 will clause untold damage to the enviroment, there is no doubt about that.
Dont quite get the point of this article…….but to clarify. HS2 is a project running from London to Birmingham , then to Leeds and Mancheste via a split route. We have the detail of the London to Birmingham bit, but as of yet no detail of the rest, which is in HS2s remit to deliver next year.
Whichever route is finally settled on will face obstacles in the form of hills and houses etc……there is no doubt about that. It will also cut across countryside north of Birmingham….there is no doubt about that. There will also be a fresh set of stopHS2 campaigners popping up in areas where the routes are finally decided on…….there is no doubt about that.
As far as speculation goes, there is no doubt about the fact that HS2 is a project covering the aforementioned cities and towns. Lichfield to South Manchester is around 59 miles , there is no doubt about that. The general direction from Lichfield to South Manchester as the crow flies would pass nearby to Manchester Airport, there is no doubt about that. The West Coast Main Line is in fact already connected to the Airport via a link at Wilmslow, there is no doubt about that. The link is actually underused at present, there is no doubt about that.
Anything that actually states to the metre where this line will be going is actually speculation , there is no doubt about that.
Why is the route from London to Manchester/Leeds not being consulted on —I thought this was a national consultation
John….can you clarify what you mean by a national consultation? Do you mean roadshows in order to aid people who are living close to the defined route? Or the ability to answer a detailed questionaire on a website ?
Come on Gary, you know what he means, the national consultation is both the questions and the roadshows, and I wouldn’t say the roadshows ‘aid’ anyone, rather attempt to persuade.
But the big question about HS2’s Y network is why?
HSR is confined to straight lines, and therefore it is limited to only serving a few mayor cities.
Not that it will bring those cities any closer together either, 20mins time saving is no transformational, and it is too great a cost for the environment to pay.
HS2 is a big mistake, I just hope the government realise that soon.
Luke – you might like to revisit the documentation when it comes to service patterns and times. Birmingham to Leeds is proposing an hour off the current journey times, or thereabouts. That is transformational and will deliver a greater incentive to modal switch.
For me to make that journey at the moment it is the proverbial no brainer – car all the way. With the Y route, the time savings will be worth having.
‘Caveat alert’ – I have no plans to be working by the time that part of the route is completed – but you get my jist in terms of the outcomes
Martin
London to/from Leeds is proposed 1hr time saving, London to/from Birmingham 20mins saving, Birmingham – Leeds 20mins saving, so yes, 1hr in total is predicted.
Sorry Luke but your journey time numbers are just not right.
You need to re-read the DfT docs again
Page 20 of the HSR Consultation Document
and Page 10 of the HS2 Economic case
London to Leeds is one hour saving as you say – I agree.
But, I was specifically referring to Birminghham to Leeds – saving is 55mins on a 2 hr journey – That is transformational.
When it comes to London to Birmingham your 20 minutes is a serious underestimate.
Again, the DfT docs show 31 mins saving to Interchange and 35 mins to Curzon Street.
Again for those of us that live and/or work in that ouback village that we call Birmingham, where noboby ever wants to come to according to some of the StopHS2 campaigners on here, (my little joke by the way) that is transformational, and WILL have a major effect on what mode we might choose.
As I said, for me, Birmingham to Leeds is currently a no brainer – car all the way. With HS, again it is a no brainer – HS all the way
Hope this helps