A cheaper ‘HS2-light’ line beyond Birmingham is being considered by ministers
Ministers are exploring plans to build a low-cost “HS2-light” rail link between Birmingham and Manchester, after a high-speed rail project beyond Birmingham was scrapped.
The new proposal, which aims to improve capacity while reducing costs, is considered part of a wider review of the country’s infrastructure needs.
The “HS2-light” line would involve building a section between Birmingham and Crewe allowing trains to run faster than the main West Coast line but slower than HS2, potentially cutting costs by up to 40%. The government believes the solution is needed to address the looming “capacity shortage” on the West Coast highway when HS2 opens in the 2030s. Without new infrastructure, train capacity between Birmingham and Manchester could be reduced by 17%, according to the National Audit Office.
The proposal comes after Transport Secretary Louise Haigh confirmed that HS2 will terminate at London’s Euston instead of Old Oak Common. Senior government sources suggest the scheme could go ahead after the three-year spring spending review, with funding likely to be supported by changes to the funding rules to be announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in her next budget.
The plan is in line with proposals put forward by Labor mayors Andy Burnham and Richard Parker. They argue that building a new line north of Birmingham is essential to improving both passenger and freight capacity between the Midlands and the north of England. Their report, led by former HS2 Ltd chairman Sir David Higgins, calls for a line linking Lichfield in Staffordshire to High Legh in Cheshire, linked to the planned east-west Northern Powerhouse Rail.
Henri Murison, chief executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, stressed the urgent need for the new line, calling it an effective solution to skills issues in the region. He said, “A solution that connects the north to Birmingham with a new line will also connect Leeds to the north east.”
Senior figures in the government have acknowledged the need to take action, one source says, “There is a realization in the government that they do not currently have a complete dog’s breakfast and that something needs to be done.”
A final decision on the “HS2-light” line is expected in the coming months, as ministers consider how best to move forward with the UK’s rail infrastructure plans.
