The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has added his voice to mounting calls on the government to fund and build the right HS2 rail station at Manchester Piccadilly - underground rather than above ground. He's signed a letter to Transport Secretary Mark Harper, together with Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, in which they say collectively: "Build it once and build it right."
The leader of Manchester city council, Bev Craig, and Camden council leader Georgia Gould have also added their signatures ahead of the start of crucial hearings of the High Speed Rail (Crewe-Manchester) Bill Select Committee later this month.
They argue the 'right solution' for Manchester Piccadilly must be an underground station that supports Northern Powerhouse Rail 'in full', saying what's important for Manchester is equally as important for the North and the rest of the UK, including the capital.
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Crucially, they also say the current HS2 plans for both Manchester Piccadilly and London Euston 'could permanently damage Britain's economic ambitions'. "We therefore want to work with Government to make sure it is built once and built right," they say.
The voice of the London mayor in the growing campaign represents another major boost after the Manchester Evening News revealed London business leaders are backing Manchester's call for the right HS2 railway station at Piccadilly.
In a powerful show of support for the city region and the north, the influential London Chamber of Commerce and Industry said an underground through station at Piccadilly, instead of the proposed above ground station, was 'just what Britain needs to level up economic and financial opportunities'.
The mayors and council leaders also call in the letter to Mr Harper for him to ensure HS2 connects with a London terminus at Euston, not six miles outside the city centre.
In February, the Government announced it would pause work at Euston as costs for a redesigned HS2 station with fewer platforms had ballooned to £4.8 billion compared with an initial budget of £2.6 billion.
HS2 trains are now not expected to run into Euston until 2041 at the earliest after initially being scheduled for 2026.
It was announced in March that construction of the Birmingham to Crewe leg of the high-speed railway would be delayed by two years and services may not enter central London until the 2040s. It was due for extension between Birmingham and Crewe between 2030 and 2034 to help boost transport in the north of England.
Mr Harper, speaking in March, insisted extending HS2 from Old Oak Common in west London's suburbs to Euston in the centre of the capital 'remains the Government’s commitment' despite 'very significant challenges.
The new Manchester Piccadilly HS2 station - which will also incorporate Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) links - would be 'key' to unlocking east-west journeys, further boosting the UK's economy and productivity, said business leaders. However, Manchester argues that current HS2 proposals for an above ground station limit the scope for growth, and undermine connectivity benefits. Modelling suggests that as soon as both HS2 and NPR services are up and running, it will be close to maximum capacity.
It was widely expected that a new underground station on the northern flank of Piccadilly railway station would be built as part of the HS2 line from London to Manchester, via Birmingham, Crewe and Manchester Airport. But in April last year, then Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the underground option had been ruled out because it would 'take a lot of money out of other parts of the network'.
Instead the Government is proposing a 'cut-price' overground station, says the council, which will see trains emerge from the ground in Ardwick before travelling on a mile-long viaduct of up to 12 metres in height to reach the new surface station..
The letter, in full, reads:
"We are at a critical point in shaping how our country works and how our major economic centres are connected, not just for a couple of decades but for generations to come.
"The Western Leg of the HS2 Phase 2b Bill has now reached Committee Stage in the House of Commons, with discussions about the future shape of a Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) – HS2 station at Manchester Piccadilly set to commence in the next few weeks.
"The future NPR – HS2 station at Manchester Piccadilly will be at the heart of the UK’s high-speed rail network, and delivering the right solution at Manchester Piccadilly – an underground station that supports NPR in full, is important not just for the North, but for all of the UK, including London and the South East. We therefore want to work with Government to make sure it is built once and built right.
"At the same time, we want to ensure HS2 connects with a London terminus at Euston, not six miles outside the city centre. The people of the London Borough of Camden have already made significant sacrifices for the Euston project, with many having had their homes and businesses demolished or relocated. The delay in ensuring the HS2 terminus is in Euston is causing continued frustration and uncertainty for many businesses and communities
"Furthermore, the knock-on effect on London’s transport system as a result of this delay is extremely concerning. Without the Government supporting the acquisition of additional rolling stock for the Elizabeth Line, to carry people between the temporary terminus of Old Oak Common and central London, the capacity benefits of the line could be virtually wiped out due to the delay.
"We are clear that London therefore needs support to mitigate the problems caused by this delay, and that the capital, and indeed the rest of the country, needs certainty that the HS2 terminus will be at Euston.
"Across the business community, both in London and the North, there is a consensus that current plans for both stations could permanently damage Britain’s economic ambitions. If we are committed to growing our economy, and connecting our cities, then we need to make sure we get this right now, not hamstring the opportunities of future generations.
"We will formally make our case to the Committee this month, but it is Government that ultimately makes the decision on the right solutions for the NPR – HS2 station at Manchester Piccadilly and at Euston Station. We ask you to now commit to working with us to build it once and build it right."
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