The government will today (24 January) introduce the bill for HS2’s Phase 2b western leg (Crewe-Manchester) to parliament.

So far, Phase 2a sees the high-speed line running to Crewe. Once approved, HS2 will be able to continue onwards to Manchester, completing the western leg of the high-speed line. This will allow high-speed trains travelling between the North West and London to use a dedicated line that will cut journey times for passengers, while freeing up the existing network for regional and local services, hugely increasing their capacity.

HS2 train

© Hitachi Rail

As part of this phase of the high-speed line, there will be new stations at Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport. There will also be a new junction near Crewe that will give Crewe the potential to be a hub station in mid-Cheshire capable of handling a greater number of services.

HS2 Ltd has said it is aiming to deliver a 10 percent net gain in biodiversity for replaceable habitats on the Crewe to Manchester stretch.

This part of the project is estimated to support around 17,500 direct jobs as well as thousands of additional jobs within the supply chain, such as at the rolling stock depots north of Crewe, Dumfries and Galloway.

source= https://railway-news.com/hs2-crewe-manchester-bill-introduced-to-parliament/