Sep 28, 2023

Manchester Airport calls for HS2 rail in full - and tells government to get 'serious' 'Any Government serious about rebalancing the economy must be clear in its support for these transformative schemes' Manchester Airport (Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News) Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the day's biggest stories sent direct to your inbox Invalid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later. More Newsletters We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info Thank you for subscribing! Group 28 Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the day's biggest stories sent direct to your inbox Invalid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later. Sign Up × Manchester Airport has called for the HS2 rail line to be built in full as promised - from London to Manchester. In a strongly-worded statement issued today as the Government reportedly considers axing the route to Manchester over soaring costs, the incoming chief executive officer of Manchester Airports Group (MAG) said the North has been 'held back for too long by the lack of an integrated transport network'. Ken O'Toole, who will succeed outgoing CEO Charlie Cornish next week, stressed the vital need for Northern Powerhouse Rail, east-west rail links between Manchester and outlying towns and cities, which relies on HS2 as lines are shared. Any Government 'serious about rebalancing the economy', he argued, must be 'clear in its support for these transformative schemes'. Reports suggest Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt are considering shelving the high-speed rail route north of Birmingham after delays to other legs were announced. Phase 1 of HS2 covered London Euston to Birmingham Curzon Street, with intermediate stations at Old Oak Common in the western suburbs of London and at Birmingham Airport. Phase 2a involved an extension of the line from Fradley in the West Midlands to Crewe in Cheshire, with phase 2b comprising the eastern leg from the West Midlands to the East Midlands and a western leg from Crewe to Manchester. HS2 (Image: Vuk Valcic/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock) The eastern leg between Birmingham and Leeds was reduced to a spur line that is due to end in the East Midlands and it was confirmed in March that construction between Birmingham and Crewe would be delayed by two years and that services may not enter central London until the 2040s, starting and ending at Old Oak Common. Northern mayors including Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, have called for an urgent meeting with Mr Sunak, who today repeatedly refused to give a 'yes or no' answer when asked directly if HS2 would be coming to Manchester in interviews with BBC local radio stations. MAG owns and operates Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands airports. Mr O'Toole said: "For more than a decade, HS2 and then Northern Powerhouse Rail have been front and centre of the Government's plan to rebalance the UK economy. "The North has been held back for too long by the lack of an integrated transport network that would bring its cities and towns within easy reach of each other, and with the world through international gateways. "There's no getting away from the fact that unlocking the North's potential and rebalancing the UK economy is going to require major investment in transport infrastructure. Ken O'Toole (Image: Manchester Evening News) "That has got to mean investing in NPR to improve east-west connections, as well as delivering HS2 to improve connections with the rest of the UK. Any Government serious about rebalancing the economy must be clear in its support for these transformative schemes." HS2 Ltd has said the line would increase the airport's importance as an international gateway and bring new jobs and businesses to the area. Under the plans as they currently stand, the line would be integrated into existing rail networks as well as Northern Powerhouse Rail. Two new HS2 tracks to Manchester Airport and Manchester Piccadilly would create space for additional train paths on the corridors to Crewe and Stockport, providing options for more frequent local or regional services. The proposed high speed station at the airport would occupying land west of the M56 motorway between Junctions five and six and north of the A538 Hale Road. It would provide four platforms for HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail services. Story Saved You can find this story in   My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Follow Manchester Evening News