Mr Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment she has made of the benefits of a highspeed rail network to the north of England. [112951]
Justine Greening: HS2 will transform journey times, capacity and connectivity between the major cities of the North, the Midlands and London, unlocking prosperity and enabling the north of England to fulfil its economic potential. In the autumn, I will publish my preferred route and station options for phase 2 of HS2, and I am determined to make progress on this second phase of the network as quickly as possible. This will extend the high speed network northwards along two legs, with stations in Manchester, Leeds, South Yorkshire and the East Midlands, as well as connecting other major conurbations in the North and in Scotland through seamless transition onto the existing network.
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport
- if she will estimate the potential journey time saving High Speed 2 will provide for passengers travelling between Northwich station and
- London Euston,
- Birmingham International and
- Paris; [113024]
- if she will estimate the potential journey time saving High Speed 2 will provide for passengers travelling between
- Lancaster,
- Fordham and
- Hoylake station
- London Euston,
- Birmingham International and
- Paris. [113048]
Justine Greening: High Speed 2 (HS2) will provide high capacity, high speed rail links between the North, the Midlands and London, including a direct link to the Continent via the High Speed 1 line to the Channel Tunnel. The new network will also provide the opportunity to run the existing rail network in a different way, meaning that stations not on the HS2 network itself will benefit in terms of having more, faster or less crowded services.
It is too early to make decisions now about detailed service patterns and journey times to specific destinations beyond the high speed network in the 2020s and 2030s. I have received advice from HS2 Ltd on route options for the second phase of the Y network. I am currently considering this advice and I intend to publish it in the autumn, together with a Government response setting out the initial preferred route and station options.
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will estimate the potential journey time saving High Speed 2 will provide for passengers travelling between
- Warrington Bank Quay station,
- Rowley Regis station,
- Codsall station,
- Wolverhampton station and
- Guiseley station
- London Euston,
- Birmingham International and
- Paris. [113794]
Justine Greening: High Speed 2 (HS2) will provide high capacity, high speed rail links between the North, the Midlands and London, including a direct link to the continent via the High Speed 1 line to the channel tunnel. The new network will also provide the opportunity to run the existing rail network in a different way, meaning that stations not on the HS2 network itself will benefit in terms of having more, faster or less crowded services.
It is too early to make decisions now about detailed service patterns and journey times to specific destinations beyond the high speed network in the 2020s and 2030s. I have received advice from HS2 Ltd on route options for the second phase of the Y network. I am currently considering this advice and I intend to publish it in the autumn, together with a Government response setting out the initial preferred route and station options.
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will estimate the potential journey time saving High Speed 2 will provide for passengers travelling between
- New Pudsey,
- Harrogate and
- Knaresborough station
- London Euston,
- Birmingham International and
- Paris. [113853]
Justine Greening: High Speed 2 (HS2) will provide high capacity, high speed rail links between the North, the Midlands and London, including a direct link to the Continent via the High Speed 1 line to the Channel Tunnel. The new network will also provide the opportunity to run the existing rail network in a different way, meaning that stations not on the HS2 network itself will benefit in terms of having more, faster or less crowded services.
It is too early to make decisions now about detailed service patterns and journey times to specific destinations beyond the high speed network in the 2020s and 2030s. I have received advice from HS2 Ltd on route options for the second phase of the Y network. I am currently considering this advice and I intend to publish it in the autumn, together with a Government response setting out the initial preferred route and station options.
Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the potential benefits of HS2 for
- North Wales and
- other parts of Wales. [114077]
Justine Greening: HS2 will support economic growth and generate benefits across much of the UK, and these benefits will extend beyond the areas directly served by high speed rail. As soon as phase one of the network opens, HS2 will benefit passengers from Wales served by the Great Western main line, thanks to an additional stop at Old Oak Common providing increased connectivity through links to Crossrail and the Heathrow Express, as well as to HS2. Many passengers from north Wales could benefit from the released capacity HS2 will create on the existing network, although it is too early to make detailed decisions now about service specifications in the late 2020s and 2030s.
Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what responses her Department received from Welsh respondants on the consultation on HS2; and what proportion of those respondants were in favour of the development going ahead. [114078]
Justine Greening: Over 400 responses from Welsh respondents were received, of which approximately two-thirds were in favour of High Speed 2.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she plans that the public consultation on compensation for people living near the proposed route of High Speed 2 will be held. [114644]
Justine Greening [holding answer 3 July 2012]: We will begin the consultation shortly.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration her Department has given to using a hardship-based scheme in determining compensation for people affected by High Speed 2. [114645]
Justine Greening [holding answer 3 July 2012]: As set out in the “Review of Property Issues” published in January 2012, I believe that there is a strong case for introducing a new hardship-based property purchase scheme to help individuals and families who through no fault of their own have an urgent need to move and cannot do so because of HS2. We will shortly publish our compensation proposals for consultation.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration her Department has given to using a property bond solution to determine compensation for people affected by High Speed 2. [114646]
Justine Greening [holding answer 3 July 2012]:I have looked at this originally and have given it further consideration. Compensation proposals will be published for consultation shortly.
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will estimate the potential journey time saving High Speed 2 will provide for passengers travelling between
- (Poulton-Le-Fylde,
- West Kirby,
- Brighouse,
- Todmorden and
- Preston station
- London Euston,
- Birmingham International and
- Paris. [113259]
Justine Greening: High Speed 2 (HS2) will provide high capacity, high speed rail links between the North, the Midlands and London, including a direct link to the Continent via the High Speed 1 line to the Channel Tunnel. The new network will also provide the opportunity to run the existing rail network in a different way, meaning that stations not on the HS2 network itself will benefit in terms of having more, faster or less crowded services.
It is too early to make decisions now about detailed service patterns and journey times to specific destinations beyond the high speed network in the 2020s and 2030s. I have received advice from HS2 Ltd on route options for the second phase of the Y network. I am currently considering this advice and I intend to publish it in the autumn, together with a Government response setting out the initial preferred route and station options.
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