Hybrid Bill to get HS2 to Crewe at higher speed unveiled in northern transport plan

A Hybrid Bill to allow delivery of HS2 to Crewe faster than planned would be laid before Parliament in the next session, Government announced today, launching the new northern transport strategy as promised in Wednesday’s Budget.

Jackie Whitelaw
20 March 2015

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Northern Powerhouse

The move follows the strong recommendation by HS2 chief executive Sir David Higgins in his Rebalancing Britain report in October last year that the link to Crewe be accelerated to 2027 instead of 2033 “so that the north and Scotland begin to feel the benefit of HS2 as early as possible”.

Government will also look at the case for accelerating construction of the route upgrade between Leeds and Sheffield proposed in the northern transport strategy and allowing it to be used for fast regional train services. HS2 will also be asked to take forward new line options to Liverpool and across the Pennines.

The strategy produced by Transport for the North was unveiled by Chancellor George Osborne, deputy prime minister Nick Clegg and transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin. It focuses on plans to revolutionise travel in the north including a new ‘TransNorth rail system and road investments.

Building on the concept of High Speed 3, the report sets out a long term strategy to connect the cities of the north with a network of high quality rail connections. This ‘TransNorth’ network - with sections capable of speeds up to 140 miles per hour - would link Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle and Hull.

"It remains to be seen whether Tory and Liberal cabinet ministers are going to be able to sustain common cause with Labour local politicians over the long-term" - Jon Hart, Pinsent Masons 

Supporting studies by Network Rail set out different options for creating such a network with indicative costings. Options range from radically upgrading existing routes to building completely new lines.

The government will now fund further development of the options identified, with road and rail plans now jointly commissioned by TfN and government. Funding is being made available for investigations of £6.4M for with a total of £12.5M to be spent including money in the Highways England budget.

Network Rail’s work for the ‘Northern transport strategy’ sets out a range of options for upgrades and new lines between the key northern cities.

New routes

•  Leeds to Newcastle times of around 50 minutes (compared to a best time of 87 minutes currently) for an emerging estimate of between £8.5 billion and £14.0 billion - Option 1

•  Sheffield to Manchester times of around 27 minutes (compared to a best time of 48 minutes currently), and Manchester to Leeds in around 30 minutes for an emerging estimate of between £12 billion and £19 billion - Option 2

•  Manchester to Leeds times of around 30 minutes (compared to a best time of 49 minutes currently) for an emerging estimate of between £6.5 billion and £10.0 billion - Option 3

•  Liverpool to Manchester times of around 20 minutes (compared to a best time of 32 minutes currently) for an emerging estimate of between £8.0 billion and £13.0 billion - Option 4

•  Leeds to Hull times of around 28 minutes (compared to a best time of 55 minutes currently) for an emerging estimate of between £5.5 billion and £9 billion - Option 5

Upgrades and cut-offs

•  Leeds to Newcastle journey times of around 70 to 80 minutes for an emerging estimate of between £1 billion and £4 billion - Option 6

•  Sheffield to Manchester times of around 39 minutes for an emerging cost estimate of between £3 billion and £5 billion - Option 7

•  Manchester to Leeds times of around 34 minutes for an emerging cost estimate of between £4.5 billion to £7 billion - Option 8

•  Liverpool to Manchester times of around 23 minutes for an emerging cost estimate of between £4 billion and £7 billion - Option 9

•  Sheffield to Hull times of around 60 minutes (compared to a best time of 86 minutes currently) through upgrading the existing route - Option 10 - or using HS2 into Leeds, combined with the proposed Leeds to Hull improvements

Emerging estimates are provided at Q1 2015 prices, and are the result of early work.

Each of the options has been estimated as a stand-alone proposal but it is recognised that opportunities will be available for synergies and economies which could potentially result in reductions to the emerging estimates.

“Further reductions may be achievable by delivering works in tandem with HS2 or Network Rail schemes,” the report said.

Other measures in the new strategy include:

Streamlining of rail fares and work to being on development of contactless travel cards that can be used across northern cities as well as on providing simpler, more unified information for passengers, making it easier for them to plan and make their journeys

Major improvements to the north’s road network will continue including:

•                    expanding the M62 to four lanes between Leeds and Manchester

•                    upgrading the M6 to four lanes

•                    improving the A1 to provide continuous motorway standard between London and Newcastle

•                    widening the M1 to four lane running in Yorkshire and Humber

As part of ‘TransNorth’, work will begin on better connecting Manchester airport to neighbouring cities

The government and TfN will work together to produce multi-modal freight and logistics strategy for the north, to help the private sector invest with confidence in ports and other freight centres

TfN will expand its role to become a representative body for the whole of the north of England and will be led by an independent chair.

“Connecting up the great cities of the north is at the heart of our plan to build a northern powerhouse,” said Osborne. “This report has the potential to revolutionise transport in the north and we will work closely with TfN to help make it a reality.”

Chair of the TfN partnership board and leader of Manchester City Council Sir Richard Leese said: “This strategy presents an opportunity to….empower the north to compete with the rest of the world and become an engine for growth in the UK.”

However, Jon Hart, infrastructure partner at Pinsent Masons, said: 
"TfN’s strategy announcement is to be welcomed, in that it appears to be encouraging the acceleration of HS2 beyond Crewe, coordinating this with new road development and looking at a degree of regional transport integration.  But this is all a bit of a smorgasbord of initiatives, combining already committed investments with huge unfunded sums that are unlikely to see the light of day until the current crop of politicians’ kids are taking their seats in parliament – new Manchester-Sheffield rail link, anyone? – and the more mundane, but equally practical regional smart cards.

"Quite whether the “Powerhouse for the North” strategy can be reconciled with the rather different and less friendly political messages emanating from the Cities, remains to be seen.  

“Elections can make strange bed-fellows, it remains to be seen whether Tory and Liberal cabinet ministers are going to be able to sustain common cause with Labour local politicians over the long-term.  TfN could become a powerful regional force, but this is probably going to require a degree of primary legislation and the processes of parliamentary time spent on new hybrid bills, not just eye-catching announcements."