The intention is to withdraw the Golborne Link from the HS2 network. Bill announced that many solutions would be investigated.
The government announced today (6 June 2022) that it will leave no stone unturned in its search for the best way to get HS2 trains to Scotland.
The Department of Transport has announced that the Golborne Link will be removed from the existing HS2 Bill in order to examine options that provide similar benefits while staying within the £96 billion Integrated Rail Plan budget.
Following clear recommendations made in last year’s Union Connectivity Review, the Golborne Link – a high-speed rail link connecting HS2 to the West Coast Mainline – will be deleted from the High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill after its second reading, subject to Parliamentary approval.
The government is updating safeguarding boundaries to align with the HS2 Bill, but will keep safeguarding for the Golborne Link in place while it works on possible alternatives, allowing impacted residents and small businesses to continue to apply for compensation through the property compensation schemes.
According to Sir Peter Hendy’s independent Union Connectivity Review, the Golborne Link does not address all of the current capacity restrictions on the West Coast Main Line between Crewe and Preston.
In response to this review, the government has committed to looking into a variety of options within the Integrated Rail Plan that might provide similar benefits, ranging from upgrading existing infrastructure to building brand new high-speed linkages.
Scotland is already set to benefit from the increased connectivity and significant economic benefits that HS2 will bring, with services between London and Glasgow expected to be available once HS2 trains begin running on the conventional rail network, based on current timetable assumptions.
HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson said:
“HS2 is a once-in-a-lifetime project that will transform travel across the entire UK as we know it and serve millions of people for hundreds of years to come and it’s absolutely vital that we get this right from the outset.”
“Removing this link is about ensuring that we’ve left no stone unturned when it comes to working with our Scottish counterparts to find a solution that will best serve the great people of Scotland.”
All possible alternatives to the Golborne Link were recommended in the Union Connectivity Review, and the UK government is working with the Scottish Government and other devolved bodies to put these recommendations into action. the
For the £96 billion Integrated Rail Plan, this is one of three new high-speed lines proposed that will increase capacity and speed up travel times, improve local services, and create a modern, interconnected transportation system.
Parliamentary time will allow for a second reading of the High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill, which was launched in January with the goal of providing faster, greener, and more reliable train services to the north as well as unmatched economic benefits to the region.