Posted 26th October 2014 | 6 Comments

HS3 case strengthens as new report sets out options

PRIME MINISTER David Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne have both today given significant support to plans for HS3 – a new high speed east-west line across the Pennines linking northern cities with both northern arms of HS2 – and the Chancellor has announced a new devolved body to oversee developments.

Journey times between Leeds and Manchester could be almost halved under proposals published today by David Higgins, chairman of HS2 Ltd, in anew report, ‘Rebalancing Britain: from HS2 towards a national transport strategy’.

As the report was being published in Leeds, the Prime Minister and Chancellor welcomed the proposals, which they said could significantly reduce journey times across the Northern region.

They also welcomed David Higgins’ recommendation that co-operation on transport issues should be formalised in the north, and George Osborne announced the creation of a new body called ‘Transport for the North’ made up of the main northern city regions.

“This body will work together with other authorities and stakeholders and allow the north to speak with one voice on the big decisions to benefit the region as a whole,” said the government.

Working with ‘Transport for the North’, the government said it will now produce a comprehensive transport strategy for the region to include options, costs and a delivery timetable for the HS3 east west rail connection.

An interim report will be produced next March – just ahead of the next general election.

“By combining the strengths of the north’s great cities, the Government believes that the proposals will help transform the economy of the north of England and play a key role in delivering a Northern Powerhouse,” said the Treasury.

The Government is also launching a review into the costs and time it takes to build high speed rail, drawing on international experience to find ways to bring down the costs of Phase Two and future high speed rail projects.

The report also gives strong backing to the case for Phase 2 of HS2 – taking the network beyond Staffordshire to the Manchester and the North West and to Leeds and the North East –and sets out proposals to maximise its benefits.

His proposals include bringing forward plans for a hub station at Crewe to 2027 – rejecting Stoke-on-Trent’s call for the line to be diverted through the Potteries – and a “fundamental review of the right solution for Leeds station to allow connections between HS2, existing rail services and improved east west connections”.

David Higgins also confirmed his view that the right location for a station serving Sheffield and South Yorkshire is Meadowhall, not in the city centre, despite pleas from Sheffield city council.

He added that the East Midlands interchange should remain in the Toton area, between Derby and Nottingham “but that its precise location needs further work.”  It is widely understood the alternative site being examined is near the village of Breaston, which is over the border in Derbyshire but still close to the M1/A52 interchange that serves Toton, which is in Nottinghamshire.  Breaston is situated close to the existing Derby-Nottingham line between Spondon and Long Eaton.

Today's developments were welcomed by the Rail Delivery Group, which said the report "underlines how HS2 will become the backbone of Britain’s growing railway, linking up our major Northern cities and helping to meet the challenge of demand for more passenger and freight services”, although HS2 opponent Richard Houghton, who is director of the HS2 Action Alliance, claimed that the report was trying to 'put lipstick on the HS2 pig'. He added: "The majority of people see HS2 for the waste of money and environmental disaster it is."

The Government said it will set out its detailed plans for the final Phase 2 routes in 2015.

Reader Comments:

Views expressed in submitted comments are that of the author, and not necessarily shared by Railnews.

  • Chris Clarke, Truro

    HS2 & HS3 are fine - especially if existing rail land is used and taking in extra land is kept to an absolute minimum. Britain is a crowded island, especially with more migrants.

  • Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex

    The name HS3 is more about politicians facing an election than what Sir David Higgins proposed in his report which also dealt with need for better roads in the north !

    A better name would be Northern Eaśt West Railway as basically it's a northern equivalent to the Eaśt West Rail project with trains likely to run at 125-140 mph at most and while not mentioned in the report such a link with modern tunnels under The Penines could help carry both freight trains and if tunnels were built large enough even Lorry Shuttles as seen in Alpine areas . Which could prove cost effective in harsh winter weather saving driving time and even with a charge still cheaper than at present.

    As for old worn comments like " lipstick on a pig " well he should travel beyond Chiltern Railways !

    (As far as I can see, 'HS3' is not a political invention but a convenient media-inspired label.--Editor.)

  • david c smith, milton keynes

    For real regeneratuon in the North, the big cities need "proper " Intercity services between them, rather than the current bargain - basement offerings with "185's" etc. Similarly, at the procurement stage, Alstom apparently offered 6 - car " baby Pendolino's" for newly electrified Mancherter - Glasgow / Edinburgh, but we ended up with lower quality "350's".

    To give a boost for the business market between Northern cities ( a necessary part of regeneration ) with minimal ( mainly resignalling) expenditure , tilting "Super Voyagers " cascaded from recently electrified Birmingham - Glasgow / Edinburgh service could be used on Liverpool - Mancherter - Leeds - Newcastle / Hull routes. Tilt facility could reduce times on the sinuous Stalybridge - Leeds section, whilst north of York they can use their 125 mph capability.

  • claydon william, Norwich, Norfolk

    HS3 is a fine idea, but brings into sharp focus the woeful and costly strategic planning we taxpayers have to endure.

    Having designed HS2 to terminate in Leeds and Manchester with expensive new terminal stations, HS3 and the prospect of wider trans-pennine improvements will mean billions more will need to be spent on new HS3 stations.

    One of the attractions in cost terms of HS3 should be the ability to use the 'existing' HS2 stations in Leeds and Manchester..

  • Dave, Southport

    HS3: The headlines and key opening paragraphs in the above report and all I've seen over the weekend risk handing the Antis the same distracting sneer they use again and again and again - HS3 is, like HS2, primarily about capacity, not speed. Speed is 1. a bonus and 2. a contributor to extra capacity.

    "£100Bn just so a few businessmen can get to Birmingham 5 minutes faster" would indeed be a grave indictment of HS2 if it were true. Likewise for HS3.

    I well realise that speed sounds sexier than capacity, but we need to sell the sausage, not just the sizzle.

  • Roshan, Leeds

    Not sure what Richard Houghton is on about. He seems like your average, bog-standard anti-HS2er - he's not given a single reason for why he thinks the way he does. I personally am very excited about HS2 now, as I also see the key role it could play in rebalancing the economy. London will be the hub, that's for sure, but with fast, frequent, reliable links to the North it will be realistic for government operations and companies to set up in an HS2 city. I haven't read the report on diverting HS2 through the Potteries, but apparently it is quite promising(?), so it's a shame it was ignored. HS3 seems a good idea too, but with the relatively short distances between northern cities I reckon it may not be needed. Could lines be upgraded to about 225km/h with regular fast trains? If not new track should be the option, but there is no need for speeds anywhere close to 300km/h. Also, there's still no talk of extending to Scotland and Newcastle!