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So that's no further cuts to HS2, sounds like what's in the IRP will proceed
Also commitment to East-West rail though whether that's to Cambridge not clear
Plus the track work at Cutsyke mentioned on the TRU website linked above is needed before the existing Northern services can use the new platform to/from Glasshoughton & Pontefract.
What I'm not sure about is if the diverted services due to TRU will stop in Cas? as a local resident who often...
Don't know what the latest is with this as not been into the town centre this weekend but the crossing was working normally the middle of Friday afternoon when I past it.
Apologies for the fading light. Taken just now on Friday 26th Nov
1637943539
Are there any Network Rail plans to alter the track layout west of the station? Will current Northern services be able to use the reopened platform 2?
Something that's occurred to me this morning, these proposal are said to save £14bn or so, not a small amount but still not massive in government (Track and Trace is in the £37bn area for little obvious benefit) but needed due to the dire state of the public purse at the moment due thanks to...
In other words we've kicked HS link to Leeds and down to Sheffield in to the long grass, i.e. well into the 2040s or 2050s.
Maybe it's a Leeds thing but just become used to, and cynical, about the seemingly never-ending transport announcement that amount to studies and 'investigating options'...
I fully agree that proper process needs to followed and understand why big projects take time to be delivered, it's just the cynic in me suggesting that 15+ years is enough time for this project to get scaled back and/or cancelled as well
So in summary what we're left with is:
HS2 Euston to Manchester to relieve WCML, coming in 2040's - going to happen anyway
Highspeed line from Rostherne to Warrington, coming in 2040's - plenty of time to scrap
Highspeed line from Manchester to Marsden, coming in 2040's - plenty of time to...
If I trusted them with such Machiavellian plotting I'd say the MML and TP electrification were canned before just so they could be brought back as 'new' improvements now when they scraped HS2 leg to Leeds but suspect it's actually just they've been grabbed as a handy 'replacement'.
So how long until the NPR line from Manchester to Marsden/East of Standedge gets dropped as well, it's not due to start construction until the late 2030's so 15+ years for future governments to rain back on that plan as well and leave us with just an electrified TP line with a few upgrades...
My hope that been that if Clayton-Leeds has actually been built with a new spur to the Donny line the proposed HS2 station could have been used for ECML services, albeit maybe with shorter platforms which would free up capacity in the existing station for the improved NPR and local services.
As...
I guess it due to what's being proposed is what should have already happened anyway (TP electrification and EMCL upgrades) not coming until the mid-2030's whilst the direct HS2 line is scrapped with a NPR line Manchester-Marsden opening in 20+ years in the mid-2040's & the promise of studies...