HS2 - Heathrow Airport Link

[deltic]

I see the Select Committee has instructed HS2 to drop passive provision for a spur to Heathrow

“The Bill contained provisions that could have been used to provide passive provision for a future spur from the railway to Heathrow. The Secretary of State has confirmed that the spur will not be built as part of HS2 Phases One or Two but there remains a risk of blight on properties on the trajectory of the previously envisaged spur. We direct the Promoter not to use the Bill powers to implement passive provision for a Heathrow spur.“

 

[quantinghome]

I see the Select Committee has instructed HS2 to drop passive provision for a spur to Heathrow

“The Bill contained provisions that could have been used to provide passive provision for a future spur from the railway to Heathrow. The Secretary of State has confirmed that the spur will not be built as part of HS2 Phases One or Two but there remains a risk of blight on properties on the trajectory of the previously envisaged spur. We direct the Promoter not to use the Bill powers to implement passive provision for a Heathrow spur.“

Not too surprising. I guess the reasons for not having a Heathrow spur (not enough demand, more frequent services by connecting at OOC) are unlikely to change in the future. I suppose it might have been useful to have passive provision for a link from HS2 to a future Western high speed line (which may or may not pass through Heathrow), but it's not immediately obvious where the best place for that would be on HS2, so not much point putting in passive provision.

 

[CardiffKid]

The Labour interim Mayor of greater Manchester has warned about the route not linking up worth Manchester Airport either:

Speaking on the Today programme, Interim Mayor and also Police and Crime Commissioner of Greater Manchester Tony Lloyd responded to reports in the Sunday Times concerning the final HS2 route, and reports that plans for the route to include Manchester Airport and a station in Sheffield may be scrapped.

He said that, as Interim Mayor, he had not been informed that Manchester Airport may not be included in the final route.

There had been “no direct input” for people in Greater Manchester, he remarked, arguing that there would be “absolute fury” if reports had a foundation.

Manchester Airport was one of the biggest in Europe, he stated, and said that few other countries would “waste the opportunity” to link it to the High Speed rail route.

“We do need clarification, we do need to have these rumours denied”, he argued.

Responding to reports that the Manchester Piccadilly would be the terminus station, but the connection to Manchester Airport was complicated and expensive due to tunnelling required, Mr Lloyd said that “this sort of cheeseparing” would not take place if it was the Crossrail project under discussion.

“The case for the airport link was an obvious one”, he affirmed.

He also suggested that people in Scotland were “dismayed” by reports that HS2 may not continue up to the country, and said that the Government was taking a “piecemeal approach”.

“Cheeseparing is not the right way to build our infrastructure”, he continued, and said reports suggesting HS2 proposals could be considered a “hollow promise”.

If HS2 only went from London to Birmingham, Mr Lloyd suggested that further governments could cancel connections to the north.

A failure to link HS2 to Manchester Airport would “be both cheeseparing and frustrating” with regards to the development of the north of England.

Plans should be comprehensive and include the third biggest airport in England, he concluded.

 

[Ianno87]

The Labour interim Mayor of greater Manchester has warned about the route not linking up worth Manchester Airport either:

I'm personally stuggling to see the benefit of connecting to the Airport specifically, as I can't see it abstracting too much business from Heathrow/Birmingham.

The HS2 station does however perform the South Manchester railheading function that Stockport does at present, plus linking to the Airport City development.

 

[edwin_m]

I'm personally stuggling to see the benefit of connecting to the Airport specifically, as I can't see it abstracting too much business from Heathrow/Birmingham.

The HS2 station does however perform the South Manchester railheading function that Stockport does at present, plus linking to the Airport City development.

Plus, as I've just posted on another topic, facilitating Metrolink and tram-train links to a large slice of south Manchester.

 

[gordonthemoron]

Perhaps they could have a station at Wilmslow instead of Manchester Airport

 

[Harbornite]

It makes you wonder if a HS1-HS2 link would be more viable than a Heathrow Spur.