The government has launched a study to look at options for running HS2 trains to Leeds and committed to reassessing evidence to improve rail connections in Bradford.
The ‘Leeds Study’ will consider a number of potential options to run HS2 trains into the city centre. It will consider capacity at Leeds Station and take into account local views, as well as factors such as disruption, economic development, value for money, affordability, deliverability and timescales.
In its Integrated Rail Plan, the government committed to upgrading and electrifying the existing line between Bradford Interchange and Leeds, improving journey times by around 12 minutes. The Department for Transport is also reassessing evidence to improve connectivity in Bradford, including examining the case for a new station.
Work on the study will be undertaken by Network Rail with support from HS2. It will consider the most effective way to run HS2 trains to Leeds given that the Integrated Rail Plan core pipeline already gives HS2 services from Birmingham to Leeds via Manchester.
Part of the study will be reaching an understanding of an optimal solution for capacity at Leeds station and any synergies with the West Yorkshire mass transit system. The disruption associated with different options, both to passengers and to economic development in the affected area will also be considered and the study will take account of value for money, affordability, deliverability and delivery timescales.
The study is expected to take two years to complete, with results then being reported to the Secretary of State for Transport ahead of any publication.
SCOPE
Specifically, the study will consider:
- An assessment of the different options for HS2 services to Leeds, following on from work done on the strategic alternatives to the Eastern Leg for the Integrated Rail Plan;
- Development and assessment of infrastructure solutions at Leeds and the surrounding area to enable HS2 services, interfacing with the work in development, to support the services at Leeds committed to in the Integrated Rail Plan;
- Safeguarding impacts (including the current Eastern Leg) and any future-proofing required (for example, in the development of the HS2 East Line and the Midland Main Line electrification programme).
It will assess viable choices consistent with the decisions reached in the Integrated Rail Plan. These would include but are not limited to:
- via Newark: the extension of HS2 Nottingham services via Newark and the East Coast Main Line route
- via Sheffield: the extension of HS2 services from Sheffield
- via Manchester: the extension of HS2 services from Manchester assuming Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) infrastructure and the HS2 Phase 2b Western Leg as set out in the High-Speed Rail (Crewe-Manchester) Bill, including a new high-speed surface station at Manchester Piccadilly
- via Erewash: with upgrades and electrification to the Erewash Valley and Old Road lines, as well as sections of a new line to complete a route to Leeds;
- via full Eastern Leg: completing the HS2 Eastern Leg from the East Midlands broadly, as previously scoped.
Preliminary work suggests that the options “via Sheffield” and “via Manchester” would be likely to retain a substantial part of the overall London-Leeds service pattern on the ECML. Other options would be capable – as in the original HS2 proposals – of replacing most ECML services.
MINISTERIAL COMMENT
Launching the terms of reference for the plan, Rail Minister Huw Merriman said: “The work in the study will consider a range of options and take account of value for money, affordability, deliverability and timescales, economic development, disruption to passengers and local views and evidence. The study will be extensive and will take 2 years to complete.
“As this work progresses, we intend to review the case for dropping certain options, taking account of evidence gathered, particularly on costs, affordability, benefits and value for money.
“In addition, the Transport Select Committee, on 13 July 2023, published the government’s response to their report on the Integrated Rail Plan. In response to the following recommendation on Bradford:
‘The government should reconsider the case for the development of a new station in Bradford. The development of the St James’s Market station would not only enhance rail connectivity in the North, allowing further investment in the city, but also provide further opportunities for rail development in Bradford after the ‘core pipeline’ of IRP upgrades take place.’
“I have confirmed that the government accepts this recommendation. The government stands by the conclusions of the Integrated Rail Plan on Bradford, and the benefits that plan brings to the city. However, in light of this recommendation, a reassessment of the evidence for better connecting Bradford and the case for a new station will now form part of the Northern Powerhouse Rail development programme and the HS2 to Leeds Study.
“The government’s approaches for Leeds and Bradford remain those which were set out in the Integrated Rail Plan and the undertaking of this work does not guarantee further interventions will be agreed or progressed.
“The government remains committed to the Integrated Rail Plan’s £96 billion envelope and expects that additions or changes to the core IRP pipeline will be affordable within that. Any options that are progressed, including those that would exceed the £96 billion envelope, will be subject to the established adaptive approach, as set out in the IRP.”
LOCAL AUTHORITY RESPONSE
(L-R) Cllr James Lewis (Leeds), Cllr Tom Hunt (Sheffield), Tom Riordan (Leeds), Kate Josephs (Sheffield)
In response, Cllr James Lewis, Cllr Tom Hunt, Tom Riordan and Kate Josephs, Leaders and chief executives of Leeds City Council and Sheffield City Council, said: “We welcome the publication of the terms of reference for the study into how to bring high-speed rail to Leeds via Sheffield and the East Midlands.
“High-speed rail will create a globally competitive economic corridor between our two cities, providing jobs and opportunities across our towns and communities, removing congestion from our roads, and encouraging the shift to lower-carbon travel.
“Our current rail connectivity is significantly behind that of other UK neighbouring cities and does not befit the size of our combined economy, so we remain concerned by the reference to high-speed connectivity to Leeds solely via the west as a suggested option, or any option that fails to connect our two cities.
“Delivering high-speed rail between Sheffield and Leeds is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our two cities and regions to realise their growth potential, and this must not be missed. We hope and expect that this study will be completed with the utmost urgency.
“We support the HS2 East partnership’s report outlining a three-phase approach to deliver improved inter-city and inter-regional connectivity, building on the Integrated Rail Plan’s proposals and at a reduced cost compared to the full eastern leg of HS2. This report recognised that high-speed rail solutions via Newark or Manchester had significant flaws, including failing to address connectivity between our two cities.
“We will be speaking to government to secure improved connectivity for the benefit of our cities, and towns and communities in between.”
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