Found: See, for example, Votes and Proceedings, 16 January 2023 (Select Committee on the High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill

Found: order to facilitate the second phase of the NPR scheme, we will resume work on the High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government who will be the promoter of the Crewe to Manchester section of High Speed Rail; and whether they intend to let contracts on a cost-plus basis in a similar way to those let for Phase 1.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

HS2 Ltd continue to support the promotion of the High Speed Rail (Crewe-Manchester) Bill which will be adapted to deliver only the section of route necessary for Northern Powerhouse Rail. No decisions have been taken on the long-term delivery strategy on contracting choices for the Northern Powerhouse Rail programme at this stage.

Our long-term ambition is to improve capacity and connectivity between Birmingham and Manchester with a new rail line. This will not be a reinstatement of HS2 and no decisions have been taken on the exact specification, route or the approach to implementing or contracting the project.

We will learn lessons from the implementation of HS2 to take the time necessary to undertake the development work to underpin these decisions.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the mayors of Liverpool, Manchester and areas east of the Pennines have approved the route of High Speed Rail Phase 2b.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The government is taking forward the High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill to deliver the Northern Powerhouse Rail route into Manchester via Manchester Airport. We have not reversed the previous government’s decision to cancel HS2 Phase 2 and will adapt the bill to deliver only the section of route necessary for Northern Powerhouse Rail.

The Government engaged closely with Mayors across the North of England during the development of the Northern Growth Strategy. Compact agreements with each Mayoral Combined Authority show the support for the Programme and the approach and are available online within the Rail Network Correspondence section of the Government's website.

We will continue to work in close collaboration with Mayors and partners across the North throughout the development and delivery of Northern Powerhouse Rail.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish the exact High Speed Rail Phase 2b Crewe to Manchester route, and connections to other rail projects in the area.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The route of the original Phase 2b scheme can be found in the Online Government Collection titled: HS2 Phase 2b: Crewe to Manchester and the West Midlands to Leeds.

The government will adapt the High Speed Rail (Crewe-Manchester) Bill to deliver only the section of route necessary for Northern Powerhouse Rail. Following the Instruction Motion passed in the House of Commons in May 2024, the Bill will be truncated at a point in the vicinity of the Parish of Millington and Rostherne. The Government will set out further details when the Hybrid Bill Select Committee recommences.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the timetable for completion of the High Speed Rail Phase 2b to take traffic.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The government is taking forward the High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill to deliver the Northern Powerhouse Rail route into Manchester via Manchester Airport. We have not reversed the previous government’s decision to cancel HS2 Phase 2 and will adapt the bill to deliver only the section of route necessary for Northern Powerhouse Rail.

In light of lessons from HS2, we are carefully developing detailed plans for delivery. However, from our work to date, we expect major construction works for the Liverpool to Manchester section of the route to commence in the mid-2030s and continue into the 2040s.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what the exact route of the Northern Powerhouse Rail project is; and which cities it will run between.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Northern Powerhouse Rail will deliver turn-up-and-go railway services between Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield and York, with regular services to Newcastle, Hull and Chester for North Wales. The first phase of work East of the Pennines will largely be upgrades to existing lines, including electrification. The government is taking forward work on the High Speed Rail (Crewe-Manchester) Bill to seek powers for the section of route into Manchester via Manchester Airport. Options for further sections of new route, including connections to Liverpool, will be assessed with local leaders in the coming months, in advance of any public consultation.

Found: People Bill A carry-over motion has also been agreed for one hybrid bill, the High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill

Found: consenting has been fully funded in this Parliament and work has resumed on the adapted High Speed Rail (Crewe- Manchester) Bill

Found: However, the Government introduced the High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill, which includes land