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It is no secret that Burnham and Starmer don’t get on but he won’t be deselected, he has already been confirmed as candidate for next Mays mayor election. A vote to bar him would have to be made at Labour’s National Executive Committee where Starmer is only one of 39 members and the Unions have...

That is the point though, the Act authorises the purchase of land I can’t understand how the PM can unilaterally decide to override without another vote in Parliament to repeal the Act. A judicial review would also take 9-15 months. I think there is support within Labour for building Phase 2...

You would think the decision would be judicially reviewed, I wouldn’t be surprised if Andy Burnham launched a legal challenge against the land sales for phase 2a Depending on the date of the next election there wouldn’t be much time, even with an Autumn election once the Summer recess happens...

Merging phase 2b into NPR makes sense although TfN would never be able to fund it without significant devolution of borrowing powers. Without phase 2b there is no NPR unless anyone can explain how it would get into central Manchester without the tunnels.

Because HS2 phase 2b and NPR are the same thing. You still have to build the most expensive parts (the tunnels from Manchester Airport and the station at Picadilly. Not building the relatively short section between where the NPR line diverges towards Warrington/Liverpool and Crewe means that HS2...

It is already legislated for so wouldn’t be that difficult for an incoming Labour Government to reinstate. 1694868556 Some of the route does look quite constrained by housing but I guess it would be rebuilt in a similar fashion to EWR. The most difficult bit would be the viaduct over the Ship...

NPR like HS2 is going to have to be built in phases. The Liverpool to Manchester section uses the upgraded Fiddlers Ferry line via Warrington then I assume a new section from where the line crosses the ship canal passing south of Lymm to link up with phase 2b to Manchester, that would be...

All Labour need to say in its manifesto is “We will build Northern Power House Rail in full staring with the Crewe to Manchester leg as the first phase“ (essentially rebranding phase 2b as part of NPR). Is is the only part of NPR that is planned and designed and unless the Tories stop the bill...

Seen this below on Twitter which I assume is is from a newspaper article. Can someone explain how scrapping the Manchester leg allows the Government to prioritise NPR given the leg to Manchester forms the first part of NPR?

I think in a General Election HS2 wouldn’t make the blindest but of difference bar for a handful of votes in a handful of constituencies. Most people will vote on bigger issues including the economy and NHS. Labour have and will commit to building HS2 in full or least as far as Euston-Manchester...

No, I found them difficult to read to.

The bit about Bletchley-MKC is really interesting. Recommends 6 tracking and extra through platforms on East side of MKC along with development of the Bletchley Northeast Chord to segregate flows from EWR from the WCML, similar to what is proposed at Bedford.

Network Rail have published a study looking at options for utilising the capacity on the WCML South of Crewe post HS2 phases 1 & 2A from Euston to Crewe. A hefty document at over 340 pages so will take some time to read...

This is my understanding also. I suspect that once all the existing franchises have expired we will wind up with something similar to the government’s proposed Great British Railways an arms length body setting the timetables and fares. It will be interesting to see what impact devolution has...

I can’t see anything radical being undertaken at either TPE or Northern this side of a General Election (due sometime next year), therefore sorting out TPE and Northern will be down to whoever forms the next government. TBH I don’t know what the Tories plans are for rail now they have put their...

I don’t see the advantage in transferring Birmingham to Stansted Airport to Grater Anglia, the route is currently run by 170’s which EMR operate could so they could take on XC 170’s, also the route overlaps with EMR’s Liverpool Norwich where as it would be a significant diversion away from the...

I suspect Labour‘s manifesto will commit to delivering HS2 to Manchester but with regards to the Eastern Leg and NPR it will be a bit more ambiguous regarding exactly what form it will take. Still with MP‘s like Lisa Nandy and deputy Angela Rayner in greater Manchester it is a row he will...

The MML should be fully electrified by the time a Birmingham-East Midlands branch of HS2 is built (assuming the government doesn’t cut back on that again too). The rail journey between Nottingham and Birmingham is quite slow via Derby (1 hour 10 mins to 1 hour 26mins this morning) vs driving...

Have to agree, without wanting to go too far off topic the Treasury has become the biggest barrier to growth in this country. It has an important role in keeping public spending under control but has become too focused on short term spending at the expense in long term investment to keep the UK...

How they have repeatedly backed delivering the project in full and benefits Labour strongholds in Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds and the North East. Indeed, the idea that Starmer is going so say to his MP’s in the North that they are not going to build HS2 or NPR is for the birds.