HS2 is a new high-speed rail network that will connect London to Birmingham and then the north
Phase 1 is expected to open between 2029 and 2033
It has been announced (2023) that phase 2 will no longer go ahead
Estimated to create 22,000 jobs
Cut travel times by half
How does HS2 relate to previous government transport policy?
the planned construction of HS2 reverses all governments' transport policies since 1945, which have consistently been in favour of expanding the road network rather than the railways.
Rail allows people to work on laptops while they travel, but rail passenger traffic is at its highest ever level
What is phase 1?
a high-speed link travelling up to 400km per hour between London Euston and Birmingham Curzon street
What is phase 2?
phase 2 will then lead north-west to Manchester and north-east to Leeds
What are the benefits of HS2?
1 improved journey times between major cities for example, the London to Birmingham journey will be reduced from 80 to 49 minutes
2) an estimated 60,000 construction jobs will be created
What are problems with HS2?
the planned route will pass right through the Chilterns AONB
Like the TGV high-speed network in France, there will be no intermediate stations, so communities along the route will not gain from it
