Jan. 18 2024
Source Page: HS2 Phase 2a property scheme maps: Handsacre connection to West Coast Main LineFound: HS2 Phase 2a property scheme maps: Handsacre connection to West Coast Main Line
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to help tackle congestion on the West Coast Main Line.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
HS2 Phase 1 will be delivered between Euston and the West Midlands with a branch to Handsacre, near Lichfield, providing a significant increase in capacity across the busiest section of the West Coast Main Line. In addition, work is underway to consider potential upgrades to Handsacre junction and the broader West Coast Main Line to support the introduction of HS2 services, and improve journeys between London, the West Midlands, the North-West, Scotland and other locations. An upgrade of Handsacre Junction will allow more trains to reach key destinations north of Birmingham. It will have a transformative effect on rail capacity: nearly doubling capacity up to 250,000 seats per day across the primary long-distance operator on the West Coast Main Line and Phase 1 - triple that of the operator’s current estimated average daily demand.
Mentions:
1: Baroness Vere of Norbiton (CON - Life peer) coast partnership, providing west coast train services as Avanti West Coast, or AWC. - Speech Link
2: Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (LAB - Life peer) But I am sure that beleaguered passengers on the failing west coast rail services must have been baffled - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Gavin Newlands (SNP - Paisley and Renfrewshire North) Another day, another blow for passengers who use the west coast main line. - Speech Link
2: Scott Benton (IND - Blackpool South) I am a regular user of the west coast main line, and the improvements in both punctuality and reliability - Speech Link
3: Charlotte Nichols (LAB - Warrington North) These problems do not stop with Avanti: persistent issues on the west coast main line have a knock-on - Speech Link
4: Preet Kaur Gill (LAB - Birmingham, Edgbaston) I declare an interest as a long-suffering user of the Avanti service on the west coast main line. - Speech Link
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 73 of his Department's Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands, published in November 2021, CP 490, whether it remains his policy that (a) the West Coast Main Line is at capacity and (b) there are no viable choices for new lines and upgrades to the West Coast Main Line.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government remains committed to HS2 Phase 1 which will have a transformative effect on rail capacity: nearly doubling capacity up to 250,000 seats per day across the primary long-distance operator on the West Coast Main Line and Phase 1 - triple that of the operator’s current estimated average daily demand.
In line with normal practice, work to consider future service patterns and capacity in the light of Network North continues.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 25 October 2023 to Question 203071 on West Coast Main Line, how much and what proportion of the 250,000 additional seat capacity will be on (a) the West Coast Mainline and (b) HS2 Phase 1.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The exact number of additional seats and the split between services will not be known until decisions are made on the train service when HS2 opens.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 23 October 2023 to Question 203073 on Railways: Greater Manchester, whether funding for Network North will be allocated to track upgrades on the West Coast Mainline.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
High Speed 2 (HS2) will now be delivered between Euston in central London and the West Midlands as planned, with a branch to Handsacre, near Lichfield, where there is a plan for HS2 services to travel to Liverpool, Manchester and Scotland via the West Coast Main Line (WCML). Following the announcement of Network North, the Department is also working with industry to develop the plan for a train service to maximise the use of the WCML. Network Rail will also consider the implications of Network North for the West Coast Main Line when planning its future operations, maintenance and renewals.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the capacity of the West Coast Main Line to meet anticipated future passenger and freight usage in the context of the decision not to proceed the northern section of HS2.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
No decisions have been made on the train service that will run when HS2 opens. These will be made in due course and be subject to consultation, taking advice from the industry. These considerations will include passenger and freight services available on the West Coast Mainline from released capacity.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the potential increase in freight that will be transported along the West Coast Main Line in the context of not proceeding with the northern section of HS2.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
No decisions have been made on the train service that will run when HS2 opens. These will be made in due course and be subject to consultation, taking advice from the industry. These considerations will include passenger and freight services available on the West Coast Mainline from released capacity.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 October 2023 to Question 203238 on High Speed 2 Line: West Coast Main Line, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of HS2 using the West Coast Mainline on (a) local rail services in south-east Greater Manchester and (b) the viability of new local rail services in south-east Greater Manchester before any decision is made on HS2 services diverting onto the West Coast Mainline through Stockport.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Decisions on the train service that will run when HS2 opens will consider impacts on other rail services and up-to-date information on passenger demand, including those at Stockport Station.