The Government today published its Integrated Rail Plan.
The headline was that it had scrapped the eastern leg of HS2 from East Midlands Parkway to Leeds.
This would have meant that we would no longer have to worry about the two crossings affecting us – next to the M1 at Norwood and the link to the Infrastructure Maintenance Depot at Staveley.
As ever, the devil is in the detail and Sections 3.47 and 3.49 say: “We will look at the most effective way to run HS2 trains to Leeds. However, pending conclusion of the work set out above, the Government does not intend to lift safeguarding on the previously proposed HS2 route at this time. Safeguarding Directions are kept under review and updated periodically to reflect the latest route design.” In other words, we will still need to deal with HS2 in these two locations. We already have a meeting scheduled with Network Rail and HS2 next month.
Chair of the Chesterfield Canal Trust, Peter Hardy, said: “This announcement from the government about HS2 has mixed blessings for the Chesterfield Canal Trust. On the one hand we are disappointed that Chesterfield and Staveley will not see the benefits of the investment that HS2 would undoubtedly have brought to the area, on the other hand it does help us with the design around the two points where HS2 would have crossed the canal.
Perhaps the most frustrating part of the announcement, which was hidden in the detail, is that the Government wants to protect (or safeguard) the line of the now abolished HS2 route in case they change their minds in the future! As a Trust we will continue to meet with HS2 and local politicians to rectify this problem, which, if left unresolved, could complicate the restoration for many more years. Our hope is that they will be more responsive than they have been for the last 8-9 years.”
The plan says: “Under previous plans for the HS2 Y-network, the Eastern Leg was planned to run from the West Midlands to an East Midlands Hub station at Toton. Trains would then continue north, serving Chesterfield and Sheffield via a spur to the Midland Main Line (MML), or continue on new high speed line to a new station at Leeds. However, in the light of cost increases, concerns about intermediate markets, development of plans for other schemes and analysis indicating a longer delivery timeframe since the route was confirmed in summer 2017, the Government has considered whether similar or better benefits could be obtained in a more affordable way, earlier and allow for an iterative approach to delivery.
We will fully electrify and upgrade the Midland Main Line between London St Pancras, the East Midlands and Sheffield. Under HS2 and NPR previous plans, the Midland Main Line and Transpennine route would not have seen electrification completed and towns such as Retford would have seen little benefit, or even a worsening in their service. Under the IRP, these and other towns could see improved services in terms of destinations served, electrified trains, higher frequencies, more seats and/or faster services.”
Please don’t expect immediate results because it goes on to say: “By around 2030, passengers could see electrification of the remaining sections of the Midland Main Line to Leicester, Nottingham, Derby, Chesterfield and Sheffield, laying the ground for future high speed rail services to Nottingham, Derby, Chesterfield and Sheffield.
By the early-mid 2040s, passengers could see the new high speed line connecting the West Midlands to the East Midlands, providing improved connectivity to Derby, Nottingham, Chesterfield and Sheffield. The new line would reduce journey times between London and Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield and free up capacity on the Midland Main Line south of East Midlands Parkway.”
