'New HS2 station at Crewe'

While a formal announcement is expected on Monday, the BBC is carrying the following news story this morning which may be of interest to many in this area:

A report into the route of the second phase of the controversial fast train project HS2 is expected to recommend a new station be built in Crewe.

It means a bid by council leaders for Stoke-on-Trent to be included on the line is likely to be rejected.

Monday's announcement is set to recommend sticking with a plan to split the line in two after the London to Birmingham stage opens in 2026.

HS2 will then be extended to Manchester and to Leeds via Sheffield by 2032.

The scheme's boss, Sir David Higgins, has spent months looking at whether the government has got the right route for the second phase of HS2 in the north of England.

The government's earmarked route for the western branch of the second phase of HS2, which will see trains will run at 225 mph (362km/h), cutting journey times, ran through Crewe.

The initial plans suggested HS2 would connect with the West Coast Main Line south of Crewe, before continuing in a tunnel under the town heading north.

But both Crewe and Stoke on Trent launched business cases for new stations to be built. Stoke-on-Trent City Council had suggested its route was greener and cheaper and would deliver benefits to more people.

BBC transport correspondent Richard Westcott says building a station at Crewe in HS2 could mean delaying plans for a new station at Manchester Airport.

Another station between Derby and Nottingham may also have to be moved to a slightly different location, said our correspondent.

Construction on the £50bn HS2 project is due to start in 2017.

Objectors to HS2 have said the scheme will cause an unacceptable level of environmental damage, loss of homes and disruption to many communities.

But in January the Supreme Court rejected a legal bid to force further scrutiny of the first stage of the government's plans.

Alongside HS2, Sir David's report will also update the government on what has been dubbed HS3 – a plan to speed up existing services between Leeds and Manchester. He has long warned that poor transport is throttling growth across northern England.

This article is from our news archive. As a result pictures or videos originally associated with it may have been removed and some of the content may no longer be accurate or relevant.