A number of changes have been proposed to the bill making its way through Parliament which would see HS2 extend to Manchester.
The changes have been proposed to the High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill which was first submitted to Parliament in January last year.
These are the second proposed alterations to the bill after the first set were introduced in the summer of 2022.
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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 motorway 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."
