Northern England is getting new east-to-west high-speed train routes

We’ve got a new government, which means changes are afoot. A big part of Labour’s genny lec manifesto was an overhaul of the UK’s rail services – that now includes a brand new east-to-west high-speed train service in the north of England. 

The northern leg of HS2 might be dead and buried, but that doesn’t mean the north is getting squat when it comes to new rail services. As revealed in the King’s Speech, the government has promised to improve the train links between east and west in the north. Transport secretary Louise Haigh has has repurposed the High Speed Rail Bill so that new services can be built around Manchester, Liverpool and Yorkshire. 

In a legislative document the government wrote: ‘We are not reversing the decision to cancel the second phase of HS2. Instead, we are repurposing the High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill to provide powers to construct and operate rail projects which improve east to west connectivity across the north of England.’

It’s thought that the bill will enable key rail infrastructure to be delivered in and around Manchester, including the construction of new stations at Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport, majorly improving rail services between Liverpool and Manchester and through to west Yorkshire.

This is something we can get on board with. 

More trains: A brand-new rail service could soon be launched between London and Manchester.

Plus: Could Manchester get an underground rail network?