High Speed Two rail line gets go-ahead

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High Speed Two (HS2), the proposed high speed rail line linking London and Birmingham, has been approved by the government.

Transport Secretary Justine Greening said the first phase of the project could be complete by 2026.

The entire project is set to cost £32.7bn and ‘will generate benefits of up to £47 billion and fare revenues of up to £34 billion over a 60-year period’.

Travel times between London and Birmingham on the new line, with trains travelling up to 225mph, will be cut to 49 minutes.

The project will be built in two phases, with the second phase of HS2 constructing ‘onward legs to Manchester and Leeds and the connection to Heathrow’ in 2032-3.

Changes to original proposals include more green tunnels along the line which ‘offers considerable improvements to communities, with the number of dwellings at risk of land take almost halving and the number experiencing increased noise levels reducing by a third’.

Justine Greening said:

“Since becoming Secretary of State for Transport I have taken time to consider all aspects of the consultation proposals and the evidence arising from both consultation responses and further work undertaken or commissioned by my Department and HS2 Ltd.

“I have decided Britain should embark upon the most significant transport infrastructure project since the building of the motorways by supporting the development and delivery of a new national high speed rail network.

“By following in the footsteps of the 19th century railway pioneers, the Government is signalling its commitment to providing 21st century infrastructure and connections – laying the groundwork for long-term, sustainable economic growth.

“High Speed 2 (HS2) is a scheme to deliver hugely enhanced rail capacity and connectivity between Britain’s major conurbations.”

 

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