High Speed 2 Railway Line

(asked on 15th March 2017) - View Source

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the benefits of including the Handsacre connection from HS2 to the West Coast Main Line once HS2 Phase 2A is completed.


Answered by
 Portrait
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This question was answered on 23rd March 2017

The inclusion of a link at Handsacre to allow HS2 trains to pass onto the West Coast Main Line is contained in the High Speed Rail (London to West Midlands) Act 2017. Furthermore, the Government has given a specific assurance to build the Handsacre link before the launch of Phase One services.

The Phase 2a strategic outline business case, published in November 2015, includes Handsacre Junction in our assessment of the benefits of the 2a scheme, and the Full Y scheme. Handsacre Junction would allow us to serve stations along the West Coast Mainline such as Stafford. Government also sees the potential benefits of serving Stoke-on-Trent in support of the wider development plans of the Northern Gateway Development Zone and the ambitions of the Midlands Engine. The Secretary of State has therefore asked HS2 Ltd to take forward more detailed work on train planning for options to serve Stoke via Handsacre Junction, including operational feasibility in both 2027 and 2033.

However, we do not break down the economic benefits of different parts of the scheme, including Handsacre Junction.

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