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High Speed 2

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For other uses, see High Speed 2 (disambiguation).

High Speed 2
High Speed 2, High Speed 1 and Channel Tunnel Rail links
Overview
StatusProposed for 2025
LocaleUnited Kingdom
(Greater London,
West Midlands initial)
Termini
Stations4 (initial)
Service
TypeHigh-speed railway
SystemNational Rail
Technical
Track gaugeStandard gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Operating speedUp to 250 mph (400 km/h)[1]

High Speed 2 (HS2) is a proposed high-speed railway between London and the Midlands, the North of England, and the central belt of Scotland, being developed by High Speed Two Limited, a company established by the British government. It would take the form of a "Y" shaped route, with a trunk from London to Birmingham, and then two spurs, one to Manchester, and the other to Leeds via the East Midlands. The project would be developed in stages, with the London to Birmingham portion being the first. There would be no intermediate stopping points between London and the West Midlands.

High-speed rail is supported in principle by the three main United Kingdom political parties; there is, however, debate about which cities should be served, and on the environmental performance and impact of high-speed rail.[2] If approved, construction would begin in 2017 with the first trains running by 2025.[3] At present, the only high-speed route in Britain is High Speed 1 (the Channel Tunnel Rail Link).

The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government formed in May 2010 stated in its initial programme for government its commitment to creating a high-speed rail network.[4]

History

The Department for Transport published a document in January 2009 giving details of various options for new-build high-speed rail[5] and concluded that the most appropriate initial route for a new line was from London to the West Midlands.[6]

High Speed Two Limited

In January 2009, the then Labour government established a company, High Speed Two Limited (HS2 Ltd), chaired by Sir David Rowlands[7] with the remit of examining the case for a new British high-speed line and presenting a potential route between London and the West Midlands;[8] which had been identified by the DfT as the initial stage to be built of a new high-speed network.[9] The government report suggested that utltimately the line could be extended to reach Scotland.[10]

Drawing on consultation produced for the Department for Transport (DfT) and Network Rail, HS2 Ltd would provide advice on options for a Heathrow International interchange station, access to central London, connectivity with HS1 and the existing rail network, and financing and construction,[11] and report to government on the first stage by the end of 2009.[12]

In August 2009, Network Rail published its own study outlining its proposals for the expansion of the railway network which included a new high-speed rail line between London and Glasgow/Edinburgh, following a route through the West Midlands and the North-West of England.[13]

For the HS2 report, a route was investigated to an accuracy of 0.5 metres (18 in).[14] In December 2009, HS2 handed its report to the government. The study investigated the possibility of links to Heathrow Airport, connections to Crossrail, the Great Western Main Line, and the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (HS1).

On 11 March 2010, the High Speed 2 report and supporting studies were published, together with the government's command paper on high-speed rail.[15][16]

Conservative - Liberal Democrat coalition government review

The Conservative - Liberal Democrat coalition, formed in May 2010, has begun a review of HS2 plans inherited from the previous government. The Conservative Party, whilst in Opposition, backed the idea of a high-speed terminus at London St Pancras with a direct link to Heathrow Airport[17] and has a policy to connect London, Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham with Heathrow by high-speed rail with construction starting in 2015.[18] In March 2010, Theresa Villiers stated "The idea that some kind of Wormwood Scrubs International station is the best rail solution for Heathrow is just not credible."[19]

The Secretary of State for Transport, Philip Hammond, asked Lord Mawhinney, a former Conservative Transport Secretary, to conduct an urgent review of the proposed route. The coalition government wished the high-speed line to be routed via Heathrow Airport, an idea rejected in the most recent proposal published by HS2 Ltd.[20]

Lord Mawhinney's conclusions contradicted Ms Villiers' view and Conservative policy in opposition, stating that HS2 should not go to Heathrow Airport unless and until it reaches beyond Birmingham. He stated that Heathrow should be served, via a loop, only when the line reaches the northern regions of England. Routeing the line only via Heathrow would add seven minutes to the journey time of all services.[21]

In December 2008 an article in the The Economist noted the increasing political popularity of high-speed rail in Britain as a solution to transport congestion, and as an alternative to unpopular schemes such as road-tolls and runway expansion, but concluded that its future would depend on it being commercially viable.[22] In November 2010, Philip Hammond rejected this idea, stating that government support for HS2 did not require it to be financially viable:

If we used financial accounting we would never have any public spending, we would build nothing ... Financial accounting would strike a dagger through the whole case for public sector investment.[23]

Public consultation

On 20 December the route that would be used for public consultation was published,[24][25] based on the Y-shaped route from London to Birmingham route with branches to Leeds and Manchester originally put forward by Lord Adonis as Secretary of State for Transport under the Gordon Brown Labour government[26] with extensive alternations to minimise the visual, noise, and other environmental impact of the line.[24] In a statement to the House of Commons the Secretary of State for Transport, Philip Hammond announced that the first phase of the high-speed network construction would include the line from London to Birmingham, as well as a link connecting the line to High Speed 1. High-speed lines further north would be built in later phases, and a link to Heathrow Airport would be initially formed by a connection at Old Oak Common, with a high-speed link to be built in a later phase. Mr Hammond had previously disparaged an Old Oak Common interchange: "Lug your heavy bags down a couple of escalators along 600m of corridor and then change trains at a wet suburban station somewhere in north west London. That is not an option." [27]

The high-speed line would also connect to the existing network allowing through running of trains to northern destinations.[28][29] Hammond said a spur to Heathrow would be retrofitted in the mid 2030's and would open at the same time as the routes to Manchester and Leeds.

Route

London to the West Midlands

Approximate route of the London-Birmingham section based on the official description, also available as KML

As proposed in March 2010, the line would run from London Euston, mainly in tunnel, to an interchange with Crossrail, west of Paddington, thence along the New North Main Line (Acton-Northolt Line) past West Ruislip and alongside the Chiltern Main Line with a four-kilometre viaduct over the Grand Union Canal and River Colne, then from the M25 to Amersham in a new 9.6 km tunnel. After emerging from the tunnel, the line would run parallel to the existing A413 road and London - Aylesbury line corridor, through the 47 km wide Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty passing close by Great Missenden to the East, alongside Wendover immediately to the west, then on to Aylesbury. After Aylesbury, the line would run alongside the Aylesbury to Verney Junction line, joining it north of Quainton Road and then striking out to the north-west across open countryside through North Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, South Northamptonshire, Warwickshire and Staffordshire. A number of alignments have been studied, and in September 2010 HS2 Ltd set out recommendations for altering the course at certain locations.[30]

Heathrow access

Whilst in Opposition, the Conservative Party stated that, in government, they would go forward with a high-speed line connecting London to Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester, with a long-term aim of linking to Scotland, as well as other English cities.[31][32]

Arup's Heathrow Hub Arup Submission to HS2 stated that a 200-acre (0.81 km2) site at Iver, north-east of the intersection of the M25 and M4, could house a railway station of 12 or more platforms, as well as a coach and bus station and an airport terminal. The high-speed line would then follow a different route to Birmingham, running parallel to existing motorways and railways as with HS1 in Kent.[33] Arup's proposal was supported by the Conservatives in their 2009 policy paper, which envisaged connecting cities on the Great Western main line (Bristol and Cardiff) as well as high-speed connections to both the new high-speed line to the north and to the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and continental Europe.[31]

According to Lord Mawhinney, the Heathrow station should be directly beneath Heathrow Central station (not at Iver, see Heathrow Hub) and the London terminus for HS2 should be at Old Oak Common, not Euston.[34]

West Midlands to the North

The corridor of the "Y" route extension north of Birmingham currently preferred by the government.

In October 2010 Transport Secretary Philip Hammond announced that the route preferred by the government was the so-called "Y" route with separate branches to Manchester and Leeds after Birmingham.[35]

The route to the West Midlands would be the first stage of a line to Scotland,[36] and passengers travelling to or from Scotland would be able to use through trains with a saving of 45 minutes from day one.[37] If approved, construction would begin in 2017, with the first trains running by 2025.[38]

Connection to other lines

High Speed 1

Whether and how High Speed 2 should connect to High Speed 1 has not yet been decided or funded. The government command paper says:

... the new British high speed rail network should be connected to the wider European high speed rail network via High Speed One and the Channel Tunnel, subject to cost and value for money. This could be achieved through either or both of a dedicated rapid transport system linking Euston and St Pancras and a direct rail link to High Speed One.[39]

The engineering study conducted by Arup for HS2 Ltd costed a "classic speed" GC loading gauge direct rail link at £458m (single track) or £812m (double track). The connection would be from Old Oak Common to the High Speed 1 St Pancras portal, via tunnel and the North London Line. A double-track high-speed connection would cost £3.6bn.[40]

The High Speed 2 report recommended that, if a direct rail link is built, it should be the classic-speed, double-track option.[41]

West Coast Main Line in Staffordshire

HS2 would pass Lichfield without stopping, and connect to the West Coast Main Line well to the north of Wolverhampton.

Journey times

The HS2 Ltd report gave journey times for some destinations, allowing a degree of 'before and after' comparison.[42][43][44][45] Because it would serve only a very small subset of destinations, use of existing 'classic' services would be an element of many High Speed 2 journeys.

London to/from... Current timings on existing lines Proposed (with HS2 completion to Birmingham) Proposed (with HS2 completion to Manchester and Leeds)
Birmingham 1 hour 24 minutes 49 minutes
Coventry 1 hour 1 minute 1 hour 1 minute†
Oldbury 1 hour 34 minutes 1 hour 23 minutes‡
Wolverhampton 1 hour 43 minutes 1 hour 37 minutes‡
Manchester 2 hours 8 minutes 1 hour 40 minutes 1 hour 20 minutes
Liverpool 2 hours 8 minutes 1 hour 50 minutes 1 hour 36 minutes
Leeds 2 hours 20 minutes 2 hours 20 minutes 1 hour 20 minutes
Edinburgh 4 hours 30 minutes 4 hours 30 minutes 3 hours 30 minutes
Glasgow 4 hours 31 minutes 4 hours 3 hours 30 minutes

† Using HS2 for a Coventry - London rail journey would require changing twice (at Birmingham International and Birmingham Interchange): the figure given is for the existing line via Milton Keynes.
‡ Assumes 14 minutes Birmingham New Street station to Curzon Street (the midrange of walk times from http://www.walkit.com), and 8-minute wait at Curzon Street (southbound)/New Street (northbound).

Proposed stations

London to Birmingham

Euston Terminus, also showing nearby terminus of High Speed 1 at St Pancras

Central London

Under the March 2010 scheme, HS2 would start from an expanded London Euston. A rapid transit link between Euston and London St Pancras might be provided. The command paper suggested that the connection with Crossrail at Old Oak Common in West London would mitigate the extra burden on Euston.

However, the review by former Conservative Transport Secretary Lord Mawhinney recommended that High Speed 2 should terminate at Old Oak Common, not Euston.[21] He questioned the sense of having HS2 terminate at Euston and High Speed 1 at St Pancras, with no direct through running connection between them.[21]

West London

Crossrail Interchange in west London
Main article: Old Oak Common railway station

The March 2010 report proposed that all trains would stop at a west London "Crossrail interchange" near Old Oak Common between Paddington and Acton Main Line stations, with connections for Crossrail, Heathrow Express and services on the Great Western Main Line to Heathrow Airport, Reading, South West England and South Wales. The station might also have connections with London Overground and Southern services on the North London and West London Lines and also with London Underground's Central Line.[46]

Lord Mawhinney recommended that High Speed 2 should terminate at Old Oak Common because of its good connections and in order to save the cost of tunnelling to Euston.[21]

Bickenhill ("Birmingham Interchange")

The proposed 'Birmingham Interchange'

The March 2010 report proposed that a new "Birmingham Interchange" station would be built in rural Solihull, on the other side of the M42 motorway from the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham International Airport and Birmingham International Station.[47] The interchange would be connected by a people mover to the other sites; the AirRail Link people mover already operates between Birmingham International station and the airport.

According to Birmingham Airport's chief executive Paul Kehoe, HS2 is a key element in increasing the number of flights using the airport, and patronage by inhabitants of London and the South-East, as the high-speed link would reduce travelling times to Birmingham from London to under 40mins.[48]

Birmingham city centre

Proposed layout for Curzon Street Station
Main article: Curzon Street Station

New Street station, the main station serving central Birmingham, has been described as operating at full capacity and being unable to accommodate new high-speed services. A new terminus for High Speed 2, termed "Birmingham Curzon Street" in the government's command paper[49] and as "Birmingham Fazeley Street" in the report produced by High Speed 2 Ltd, would be built on land between Moor Street Queensway and the site of the old Curzon Street Station. It would be reached via a spur line from a triangular junction with the "main" HS2 trunk at Coleshill.[50]

Development plans for the Eastside district and a new campus for Birmingham City University continued to be progressed, though incompatible with HS2, because the government did not inform them of the proposed route.[51][52]

As Curzon Street/Fazeley Street terminus would not receive other services, local or regional rail passengers arriving in Birmingham would need to transfer from New Street, Snow Hill or Moor Street stations. The direct pedestrian access between the HS2 terminal site and New Street, the city's main station, entails traversing the Smallbrook Queensway underpass under the Bullring shopping centre.[citation needed]

Beyond Birmingham

East Midlands

A new station in the East Midlands is also proposed at an unidentified site. This station might take the form of a parkway station,[note 1] and not be sited in Nottingham, Leicester or Derby which it would serve.[53] Business leaders in the area supported high-speed rail coming to the East Midlands but were concerned that a parkway station instead of centrally located city stations would result in no overall net benefit in journey times.[53]

Development

Infrastructure

High Speed 2 Ltd's report uses the specifications of a high-speed line built to the European[citation needed] structure gauge (as was High Speed 1)[citation needed] and conforming to European Union technical standards for interoperability for high-speed rail[54] (EU Directive 96/48/EC). HS2 Ltd's report assumed a GC structure gauge for passenger capacity estimations,[55] with a maximum design speed of 250 miles per hour (400 km/h).[56] Initially, trains would run at a maximum 225 miles per hour (362 km/h).[57]

Freight trains could use the line only within a limited night-time window, due to their relatively low speed. The new line would also release capacity for freight on the existing West Coast Main Line and Midland Main Line.[58]

Signalling would be a level of the European Rail Traffic Management System using in-cab signalling, to resolve the visibility issues associated with line-side signals at speeds over 200 km/h (125 mph).

Rolling stock

HS2 mentioned two types of train:[59]

The report also considered the possibility of gauge enhancement on non-high-speed lines as an alternative to 'classic compatible' trains, to allow European-gauge trains to run outside the high-speed network.Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).

HS2 Ltd stated that, because of their non-standard nature, the classic-compatible trains were expected to be more expensive.[60]

Timeline to opening

High Speed 2 Ltd suggested[61] that, following ministerial approval, public consultation, parliamentary approval through a hybrid bill, and detailed design, construction of the London-Birmingham section could begin in mid-2018. This is estimated to require six-and-a-half years, with a further year to finish testing.[62] Reconstruction of Euston station and preparation of related infrastructure is expected to require the full length of the construction period to complete. Other major construction elements include the Old Oak Common and Birmingham stations (over four years), and the tunnelling work (Old Oak to Euston tunnel, tunnels at Little Missenden, Ufton Wood, Chalfont and Amersham), all estimated to require over four years for construction.[63] Opening would be at the end of 2025.[64]

The command paper suggested that opening to Birmingham should be possible by the end of 2026.[65] The timetable included the additional work of preparing the routes to Leeds and Manchester, for approval by Parliament in the hybrid bill. The initial Y-shaped network was to be presented in one bill in an attempt to simplify planning and minimise the parliamentary time required for the bill.[66]

Perspectives

Support

A number of organisations support the HS2 project or the development of a high-speed rail network in the UK more generally. These include Greengauge 21 (a lobbying company), Railfuture (a pro-rail campaigning group), and HSR:UK (a group of Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, and Sheffield city councils).[citation needed]

Alan Francis, Green Party transport speaker, outlined the party's support for high-speed rail in Britain in terms of benefits to capacity, reduced journey times and potential for reduced carbon emmisions, but recommended a line restricted to 300 to 320 km/h which would enable it to use existing transport corridors to a greater extent and increase efficiency.[67] Other changes recommended including additional tunnelling in the Chilterns, placing the Birmingham station closer to the existing Birmingham International Station, and a different route into central Birmingham.[67]

The Scottish Government's policy is to discuss with the UK Government the development of a Scottish high-speed rail link connecting to London and continental Europe, aiming to reduced journey times to London from Scotland to under 3 hours.[68]

Opposition

The HS2 Action Alliance was formed on 7 May 2010,[69] representing over sixty groups that oppose HS2[70] including ad hoc entities, residents' associations, and parish councils.[71] The Alliance's primary aim is to prevent HS2 from happening; secondary aims include evaluating and minimising the impacts of HS2 on individuals, communities and the environment, and communication of facts about HS2, and its compensation scheme.[69]

The route has been opposed by city/borough councils in Hillingdon (London)[72] and Coventry,[73] and by the following county councils: Oxfordshire[citation needed], Buckinghamshire,[74] Northamptonshire,[75] Warwickshire [76] and Staffordshire.[77]

Other

Organisations with noncommittal, ambiguous or dissatisfied positions include the Campaign to Protect Rural England, [78] the National Trust,[79] Friends of the Earth,[80] and the Campaign for Better Transport.[81] The CPRE stated that HS2 should not run at 'ultra high speeds', claiming that lower speeds would increase journey times only slightly, while allowing the line to run along existing motorways and railways, reducing intrusion.[78]

The Wildlife Trusts have criticised the proposals, stating that the former Government's policy on High Speed Rail (March 2010) underestimated the effect on wildlife habitats (with 4 SSSIs and over 50 of other types of nature site affected), as well as noting that the proposals had not comprehensively shown any significant effect on transport carbon emissions and questioning the economic benefits of a line. The trusts called for additional research to be done on the effects of a high-speed line.[82]

The Federation of Small Businesses expressed scepticism over the need for high-speed rail, stating that roads expenditure was more useful for its members,[83] and Coventry and Warwickshire chamber of commerce opined that HS2 offered no benefit to its area.[84]

The North Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce stated that HS2 had to have a station in the county,[85] but Staffordshire County Council is opposed to HS2.[86]

Environmental and community impact

Visual impact

The visual impact of HS2 has received particular attention in the Chilterns which is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.[87]

Property demolition and land take

HS2's Birmingham stage would result in the demolition of more than 400 houses; 250 around Euston station, 20–30 between Old Oak Common and West Ruislip, a number of demolitions at Ealing, around 50 in Birmingham, and the remainder in pockets along the route.[88] This includes nine Grade II listed buildings and possibly a Grade II* listed farmhouse at Hampton in Arden.[citation needed]

In Birmingham, the new Curzon Gate student residence would have to be demolished [89] and Birmingham City University wanted a £30 million refund after the plans were revealed.[51]

Loss of wildlife habitat, and recreation space

David Lidington, MP for Aylesbury, raised concerns that the route could damage the 47 km-wide Chiltern Hills area of outstanding natural beauty, the Colne valley regional park on the outskirts of London, and other areas of green belt.[90]

HS2's preferred route would pass through the Chilterns in Buckinghamshire via the Misbourne Valley, then through a tunnel past Chalfont St Giles and Amersham, then past Wendover and Stoke Mandeville.[91] Its proposals also include another re-alignment of more than 1 kilometre (1,100 yd) of the River Tame, and construction of a 635 metres (694 yd)-long viaduct and a cutting[92] through ancient woodland at a nature reserve at Park Hall on the edge of Birmingham.[93]

Carbon emissions

In 2007, the Department for Transport commissioned a report, Estimated Carbon Impact of a New North South Line, from Booz Allen Hamilton to investigate the likely overall carbon impacts associated with the construction and operation of a new rail line to either Manchester or Scotland including any expected modal transport shifts, and the comparison with the case in which no new high-speed lines were built.[94] The report concluded that there were no carbon benefits in building a new line from London to Manchester. The additional carbon from a new rail route would be larger than the case in which no new line was built.[95]

The High Speed Rail Command paper published in March 2010 stated that in the worse case with no shift from aviation to rail and no reduction in carbon intensity of electricity generation, the scheme would result in an increase of emissions by 440,000 tonnes per year. (~0.3% of domestics greenhouse transport emmisions in 2008).[96]

The Eddington Report cautioned against the common argument of modal shift from air to train as a carbon emissions benefit to high-speed rail - since only 1.2% of UK carbon emissions are due to domestic commercial aviation, and that rail transportation energy efficiency is reduced as speed increases.[97]

The Government White Paper Delivering a Sustainable Railway states trains that travel at a speed of 350 km/h uses 90 per cent more energy than at 200 km/h; which results in carbon emissions for a London to Edinburgh journey of 14kg per passenger for high speed rail compared to 7kg per passenger for conventional rail, air travel uses 26kg per passenger for the same journey. The paper questioned the value for money of high speed rail as a method of reducing carbon emissions, but noted that with a switch to carbon free or neutral energy production the case becomes much more favourable.[98]

Noise

HS2 Ltd stated that 21,300 dwellings would experience a noticeable increase in rail noise and 200 non-residential receptors (community; education; healthcare; and recreational/social facilities) within 300 metres of the preferred route have the potential to experience significant noise impacts.[88]

Geology and water supply

Research presented by Dr Haydon Bailey, geological adviser to the Chiltern Society, showed that HS2 tunnelling could cause long term damage to the chalk aquifer system responsible for water supply for the North Western Home Counties and North London.[99]

Compensation

The only compensation scheme for which details are available is the government's discretionary Exceptional Hardship Scheme (EHS), on which consultation closed on 17 June 2010. It is intended to compensate homeowners who have difficulty selling their home because of the HS2 route announcement, to protecting those whose property value may be seriously affected by the 'preferred route option' and who urgently need to sell.

The EHS was intended to run from about August 2010, until the route is chosen (originally estimated around the end of 2011). Homeowners may apply to the Secretary of State to buy their home, at its full market value (assuming no HS2), if all of the following criteria are met:

  1. Residential owner-occupier.
  2. Pressing need to sell. This means a change in employment location; extreme financial pressure; to accommodate enlarged family; move into sheltered accommodation; or medical condition of a family member.
  3. On or in 'close vicinity' of the 'preferred route' (that is mainly those who will later on be covered by statutory blight provisions).
  4. Have tried to sell – been on the market for at least three months with no offers within 15% of full market value (as if no HS2).
  5. Can demonstrate inability to sell is due to HS2.
  6. No prior knowledge of HS2 before acquiring the property.

Decisions on individual applications will by made by a panel of experts.[100]

The results of the consultations are not yet known. But Alison Munro, chief executive of HS2 Ltd, has stated that they are also looking at other options, including property bonds.[101] The statutory blight regime would apply to any route confirmed for a new high-speed line following the public consultations, now due to commence in 2011.[102]

HS2 Action Alliance's alternative compensation solution for property blight was presented to DfT/HS2 Ltd and Secretary of State for Transport Philip Hammond, in response to the consultation on the EHS. The Alliance also presented DfT and HS2 Ltd with a pilot study on property blight.[103]

Rationale

See also: High-speed rail in the United Kingdom

Despite an upgrade completed in 2008 (see West Coast Main Line#Modernisation by Network Rail) and the expected implementation of plans for longer trains and cab signalling,[104] the DfT expected the WCML to have insufficient capacity south of Rugby sometime around 2025.[105] However estimates of future traffic in rail schemes have been shown to be overestimated by large factors in studies,[106] the Department of Transport's forecasts of demand were criticised by a report for being overoptimistic, as well a having other shortcomings in the assesment methodology.[107]

The DfT HS2 report showed the WCML Rugby - Euston section as operating at only 61% and 80% of capacity in the 2008/2009 morning peak[108] with Rugby - Birmingham being in the 41-60% band. The Great Western Chiltern route between Birmingham and London was also shown as being used as 41 to 60% of capacity, with the Leamington - Aynho section being in the 'below 41%' category.[108] The same document's forecast for 2024-2025 was for continued unused capacity on the Great Western Chiltern route.[109]

In launching the project, the DfT announced that the new High Speed 2 line between London and the West Midlands would follow a different alignment from that of the existing WCML, rejecting further upgrading or building new tracks alongside the existing WCML to provide extra capacity as being too costly and disruptive, and because the existing Victorian-era WCML alignment was not suitable for very high speeds.[110]

The selected route was identified as the primary national transport corridor in England, for both passenger and freight traffic by road and rail,[111] with the corridor being cited as having twice the size of travel market as London to the North West and six times that of London to Scotland.[112]

The new line would improve rail services from London to cities in the North of England and Scotland,[113] and the suggested approach route west of London improves passenger transport links to Heathrow Airport."[114] Additionally, if the new line were connected to the Great Western Main Line (GWML) and Crossrail it would provide links with East and West London, and the Thames Valley.[115]

See also

References, sources and notes

References

  1. ^ DfT (2010a), page 127
  2. ^ Millward, David (4 November 2010). "Country campaigners call for high speed rail rethink". The Daily Telegraph. London.
  3. ^ "Cheap fast trains 'are transport future' - Lord Adonis". BBC News Online. London. 30 December 2009.
  4. ^ "The Coalition: our programme for government" (PDF). HM Government. May 2010. p. 31.
  5. ^ Atkins(2009)
  6. ^ DfT (2009a) page 4 paragraph 5
  7. ^ DfT (2009a), page 5 paragraph 8
  8. ^ DfT (2009a), page 5 paragraph 9.
  9. ^ DfT (2009a), page 12 paragraph 37.
  10. ^ DfT (2009a), page 17 paragraph 40.
  11. ^ DfT (2009a), page 24 paragraph 63
  12. ^ DfT (2009a), page 24 paragraph 65.
  13. ^ "The case for new lines" (PDF). Meeting the capacity challenge. Network Rail New Lines.
  14. ^ "High-speed rail plans to be submitted to government". BBC News Online. 27 December 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-28.
  15. ^ "High-speed rail plans announced by government". BBC News Online. 11 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-11.
  16. ^ "High Speed Rail". Department for Transport. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
  17. ^ "Tories would scrap Heathrow plan". BBC News Online. London. 29 September 2008.
  18. ^ "Where we Stand: Transport", Conservative Party website.
  19. ^ "Tories say high-speed rail plans for Birmingham are flawed". Birmingham Post. 11 March 2010.
  20. ^ "Ministers order re-think of high-speed rail route", TransportXtra.com, London, 28 May 2010.
  21. ^ a b c d Harris, Nigel (28 July 2010). "'No business case' to divert HS2 via Heathrow, says Mawhinney'". RAIL. No. 649. Peterborough. pp. 6–7.
  22. ^ "A surprising conversion". The Economist. London. 30 December 2008.
  23. ^ "Transport secretary unveils HS2 compensation plan". Railnews. Stevenage. 29 November 2010.
  24. ^ a b "London-to-Birmingham high speed train route announced". BBC News Online. 20 December 2010.
  25. ^ "'Redrawn' high speed rail plan unveiled". Channel 4 News. 20 December 2010.
  26. ^ "High Speed Rail - Oral Answers to Questions — Education - House of Commons debates". 20 December 2010. question to the Minister by Maria Eagle, shadow secretary for Transport, 1st para. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  27. ^ "Transport secretary chops down Old Oak High Speed 2 interchange". August 17, 2010.
  28. ^ "High Speed Rail: Oral statement by: The Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP". Department for Transport. 20 December 2010.
  29. ^ "New High Speed Rail Proposals Unveiled" (Press release). Department for Transport. 20 December 2010.
  30. ^ "High Speed Rail London to the West Midlands and Beyond, Supplementary Report, September 2010: Refining the Alignment of HS2's Recommended Route" (PDF). Department for Transport.
  31. ^ a b "Conservative rail review: Getting the best for passengers" (PDF). Conservative Party. Long Term Strategy, section 5.1 High Speed Rail, pp.10-11.
  32. ^ "Getting the best for rail passengers". www.conservatives.com (Press release). 11 February 2009.
  33. ^ Arup (15 April 2010). "A submission to Lord Mawhinney's Review" (PDF).[full citation needed]
  34. ^ "High speed rail access to Heathrow: a report by Lord Mawhinney". Department for Transport. 21 July 2010.[full citation needed]
  35. ^ "Proposed high speed rail network North of Birmingham confirmed" (Press release). Department for Transport. 4 October 2010. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
  36. ^ DfT (2009a), page 16 paragraph 37
  37. ^ Savage, Michael (2 February 2010). "Adonis in all-party talks on high-speed rail link". The Independent. London. Retrieved 2010-01-04.
  38. ^ Pank, Philip (30 December 2009). "Britain in line for Europe's fastest railway". The Times. London. Retrieved 2009-12-31.
  39. ^ DfT (2010a), page 9
  40. ^ Arup. "Route Engineering Study Final Report: A Report for HS2, chapter 9" (PDF). Retrieved 2010-03-17.
  41. ^ "High Speed Rail: London to the West Midlands and Beyond. A Report to Government by High Speed Two Limited. Chapter 3, p. 134" (PDF). Retrieved 2010-03-17.
  42. ^ DfT (2010a), p. 67 F4.2
  43. ^ "High Speed Rail: London to the West Midlands and Beyond. A Report to Government by High Speed Two Limited. Chapter 3 p. 147" (PDF). Retrieved 2010-03-17.
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  47. ^ DfT(2010a), page 118.
  48. ^ Nielsen, Beverley (29 October 2010). "Up, Up and Away - Birmingham Airport spreads its wings as powerful driver of growth and jobs". Birmingham Post Business Blog.
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  63. ^ HS2(2010a), p212, Chapter 6 section 5.2.29
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  97. ^ "The Eddington Transport Study, The case for action: Sir Rod Eddington's advice to Government" (PDF). Figure 15: The case for new very High Speed Lines (HSLs) p.49 (also p.33).
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  103. ^ "Alternative Compensation Solution and final response to EHS". HS2 Action Alliance.
  104. ^ DfT (2009a), page 12 paragraph 34
  105. ^ DfT (2009a), page 5 paragraph 6
  106. ^ Flyvbjerg, Bent; Skamris Holm, Mette K.; Buhl, Søren L. (Spring 2005). "How (In)accurate Are Demand Forecasts in Public Works Projects?" (PDF). 71 (2). Chicago: Journal of the American Planning Association: 131 ff. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  107. ^ "Transport and the economy, Memorandum from Wharf Weston (TE 30)". www.publications.parliament.uk. November 2010.
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  109. ^ "Figure 6: Loading levels in the 3-hour morning peak period, 2024/25" (PDF): 15. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  110. ^ DfT (2009a), page 16 paragraph 36
  111. ^ DfT (2009a), page 12 paragraph 31
  112. ^ DfT (2009a), page 18 paragraph 48
  113. ^ DfT (2009a), page 4 paragraph 5
  114. ^ DfT (2009a), page 17 paragraph 41
  115. ^ DfT (2009a), page 18 paragraph 43

Sources

Notes

  1. ^ In British usage, a parkway is station with car parking, remote from the location it is intended to serve
  2. ^ The British Rail Class 373 trains used by Eurostar are an existing example of a high-speed train that is compatible with some continental signalling systems as well as with the loading gauge of certain British lines.
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