A raft of major changes have been proposed to the planned law that would see HS2 extend to Manchester.
The alterations to the High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill have been submitted to Parliament and will now be voted on by MPs.
The bill itself was first submitted to Parliament in January last year while a first set of changes were introduced in the summer of 2022.
Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features.
HS2 Ltd, the company building the low-carbon high-speed railway, said that changes to hybrid bills "aren't uncommon and reflect the ongoing work that HS2 Ltd undertakes to ensure it builds the best railway in the best way".
The planned changes to the bill include:
- Proposals to relocate the Palatine Road vent shaft required for the Manchester tunnel. Moving the vent shaft to a new location, outside of the Didsbury Flood Storage Basin, reduces flooding impacts on neighbouring properties and removes impacts to Withington Golf Club.
- Proposals, developed in conjunction with National Highways, to relocate Junction 6 of the M56 to the south west.
- Modifications to road junctions in a number of community areas are proposed to increase capacity and reduce the impact of construction workforce movements on existing road users.
HS2 Ltd said the proposed changes would keep it on track to open the line between Crewe and Manchester between 2035 and 2041.
Stephen Smith, head of consultation and engagement for HS2’s Phase 2b programme, said: "Extending the HS2 network to Manchester will vastly improve connectivity between the UK’s major towns and cities, while freeing up vital capacity on the existing rail network for more local and regional rail services.
"This latest set of design changes reflects our ongoing commitment to minimise disruption during the construction and operational phases. Feedback from communities plays a vital role in the design process and we encourage people to have their say before the consultation closes."
Join our WhatsApp Top Stories and Breaking News group by clicking this link
The proposed changes come after long-standing plans for two extra platforms at Manchester Piccadilly railway station were 'dropped' by the Government.
MP Lucy Powell revealed the news last month as she called existing HS2 rail proposals for the station a 'sub-optimal solution' that fall 'well short of our ambitions for our region and for levelling-up'.
Ms Powell told a committee of MPs she didn't believe a similar proposal for an overground station at a major rail terminus 'would ever be put in London' - as she blasted trains and rail connectively in the north as 'quite frankly, absolutely rubbish'.
