Birmingham to Crewe HS2 line moves one step closer

Chris Grayling urged MPs to support the High Speed Rail (West Midlands - Crewe) Bill, insisting it was "enormously important" during a debate in Parliament last night.

Despite opposition from 12 MPs including Lichfield's Michael Fabricant, the Bill was given a second reading by a majority of 283, meaning it will now progress on to line-by-line scrutiny by MPs.

The £55.7 billion high-speed railway will open between London and Birmingham in December 2026, with a second Y-shaped phase launching in two stages.

Phase 2a from the West Midlands to Crewe will begin in 2027, followed by phase 2b from Crewe to Manchester, and Birmingham to Leeds, in 2033.

The route will go from Fradley near Lichfield to Crewe, cutting through countryside in Staffordshire, impact communities in Great Haywood, Ingestre, Hopton, Marston, and Yarlet.

During the Parliament session yesterday, Mr Fabricant said the route would see the loss of 27 ancient trees from Lichfield to Crewe.

He also said: "Could I ask him [Mr Grayling] not to take his eye off a distant ball which is the future of the West Coast mainline after HS2 is constructed.

"There is concern there is over 44 stations not served by HS2 on the West Coast main line so it is very important that passenger traffic is still maintained on the West Coast mainline and it isn't just going to be used for freight traffic."

Mr Grayling replied: "My honourable friend is absolutely right, what I think that HS2 will deliver, and I'm someone who sails through those stations on many, many occasions on Pendolino trains, the reality is we can and should do better at those intermediate stations.

"We should provide better commuter links into Birmingham, we should provide better links within the Trent Valley, Nuneaton to Lichfield and up to Stafford.

"All of these things are things we will be able to do with greater degree in the future."

Mr Grayling also said he understood the new line would have a 'human consequence'.

He said: "What we have to do is try treat those people decently."

The move of the Bill toward a scrutiny panel will give community groups, residents and businesses a chance to petition their opposition to parts of the route.

Mr Grayling added: "This is a project which will provide the capacity our transport system needs, it is a project which will deliver better journey times, particularly most better connections between our northern cities, Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds - poor connections at the moment, this will make a huge difference to them."