About HS2

 

The UK's railways support 1.25bn passenger journeys per year and growing levels of rail freight. Railways connect people to jobs and businesses to markets in a way that's good for the environment and reduces road congestion. But capacity is almost full and the challenge we face is to provide additional capacity to meet demand.

 

The Government is proposing to provide the capacity desperately needed across the UK through a new High Speed Rail Network. The new route will link London to Birmingham, then on to Manchester and Leeds forming what is known as the Y-Network. Eventually HSR trains will run to Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

 

 

The Government is proposing to build the Y-Network in phases, with the first phase from London to the West Midlands. The proposed scheme, known as High Speed Two (HS2) will include:

• A link to HS1 (Channel Tunnel Link) providing international connectivity to the European High Speed Rail network and destinations such as Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and Frankfurt

• Crossrail interchange at Old Oak Common providing connectivity to destinations such as Heathrow, Stratford and Canary Wharf

• High Speed Rail stations in Birmingham city centre and Birmingham Interchange station, adjacent to Birmingham Airport and NEC

• A maintenance depot at Washwood Heath bringing employment to one of the most socially disadvantaged areas of the UK

• A link to the existing rail network near Lichfield, providing High Speed Rail connectivity to the north prior to the later phases of High Speed Rail.