High Speed 2 (HS2) may run from London Euston to Crewe, reinstating Phase 2a of the project, following a reversal of government policy.
LBC reported it had spoken with “insiders” and “sources close to the project” who said ministers had re-evaluated the cost-benefit analysis of HS2 and decided the railway should go beyond Birmingham.
The outlet reported that the prime minister had held private discussions at Labour Party conference and a formal announcement was planned for 2025.
It also reported that Phase 2a would be delivered by a private consortium, according to its sources, and the government was preparing an “imminent” decision regarding the reinstatement of the line to its central London terminus at Euston.
A Crewe Town Council spokesperson said: “Obviously this is very interesting news and we are very eager to understand the details of any associated decisions, timescales and will be seeking clarity on the certainty of this development and its potential value and impacts for Crewe.”
Reinstating HS2 to Crewe would alleviate network bottlenecks
Independent rail planning consultant William Barter said: “Inevitably we need to wait for confirmation, but if the reports are correct this is a very good move. Phase 2a should never have been cancelled in the first place.
“The existing railway between Colwich Junction and Crewe is one of the worst bottlenecks on the West Coast Main Line. Not only does it have three at-grade junctions and a section of double track on a quadruple track route, but it is slow as the line twists to follow the River Sow. Upgrading it in any meaningful way is impracticable.
“Phase 2a or its proposed replacement would bypass this difficult section, leaving it free for freight and regional passenger trains, whilst giving a journey time saving of as much as 15 minutes to long-distance trains, if built to the alignment speeds proposed for Phase 2a.
“A decision to use the Phase 2a route for which land purchase powers exist would minimise the time taken to design and build the new line.
“An open question is exactly what to do at Crewe – for instance whether to persist with the planned tunnelled bypass line or run all trains through the existing station, and if the latter what remodelling of the existing station is necessary.
“Whilst welcoming the news, we need to recognise that people affected by the line have been told first that it was cancelled and now that it is back on again, but the responsibility for that cruelty lies firmly with Rishi Sunak and [former transport secretary] Mark Harper, and their advisers.”
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “Transport is an essential part of the government’s mission to rebuild Britain and grow our economy.
“We are committed to improving rail connectivity across the North, working with local leaders to do so.”
HS2 psychodrama
The Crewe rumour from government is the latest move in the psychodrama around HS2, which has been buffeted by policy changes by Conservative governments. The Labour government is now grappling to make decisions on major infrastructure projects in the run-up to the Budget on 30 October.
Royal Assent was granted to the High Speed Rail (London to West Midlands) Bill in 2017 under the Theresa May government. The HS2 Phase 2a: High Speed Rail (West Midlands to Crewe) Bill received Royal Assent in February 2021 under Boris Johnson as prime minister. Since then, the UK has had Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak and now Kier Starmer as prime minister, each with very different views on the future of HS2 and other major infrastructure.
Phase 1 is already under construction between Old Oak Common and Birmingham, but the previous government under Rishi Sunak deferred the section between Old Oak Common and Euston and cancelled Phase 2. Phase 2 was divided into two sections with Phase 2a connecting Birmingham to Crewe and Phase 2b connecting Crewe to Manchester.
In August 2024, Enroute, the Campaign for Better Transport, Greengauge 21 and North on Track wrote a letter to transport secretary Louise Haigh asking her to ensure HS2 goes from Euston to Crewe. In March this year, Whitehall sources briefed the Telegraph that Haigh – then shadow transport secretary – was pushing for a reinstatement of the high-speed line to Crewe should Labour come into power. It now appears this is back on the table.
At the other end of the high speed line, extending HS2 from Old Oak Common in west London to Euston in central London is still under debate, but Haigh has signalled that there will be good news on this front. Earlier in October 2024, she told Times Radio: “It would never have made sense to leave it between Old Oak Common and Birmingham. Euston was always planned to be part of the picture for HS2. We are hoping to make an announcement on that very soon.”
High speed rail industry representatives say policy changes ‘undermined investor confidence’
High Speed Rail Group chair Dyan Perry said: “Labour has a mission to secure the highest sustained growth in the G7, which they recognise will need private investor support to achieve.
“Developing and committing to significant rail infrastructure projects, underpinned by private capital, is a crucial step to realising this goal.
“To date, short-term policy changes and inconsistent project implementation have undermined investor confidence, leading to a fragmented infrastructure landscape that is timely and costly. It is promising to hear that HS2 will likely reach Euston.
“However, we need definitive answers and a long-term rail strategy that extends north of Birmingham to Crewe and beyond. This strategy must also look beyond the short-term costs to HM Treasury, focusing on the lasting and cumulative benefits rail investment can deliver to the UK.
“If correctly capitalised upon, rail investment will not only drive growth across local economies, foster skills development, and enhance regional connectivity, it will also ensure the UK delivers on the chancellor’s ‘national mission’ to boost growth.
“We urge the government to seriously consider and take forward this report’s recommendations, implementing them for future inter-city rail projects.”
Mayors demand Phase 2 alternative to unlock benefits
A group calling for a Midlands-North West Rail Link published a report created by Arup in September 2024 which called for a new railway between the West Midlands and Manchester. It proposed for it to be privately funded and not as high-speed (300km/h rather than HS2’s 360km/h), in order to claw back some of the benefits the phase would have delivered to the region if it had been approved and built.
The group includes Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and former West Midlands mayor Andy Street and is chaired by former Network Rail CEO David Higgins. Higgins was also chair of HS2.
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