24.09.12
HS2 alternative criticised for lack of capacity
A proposed alternative to HS2 would damage the majority of West Coast services, HS2 North West has argued in a new report.
The alternative has been proposed by 51m, an anti-HS2 campaign group funded by councils opposed to the project. 51m suggest that improvements to the rail network can be achieved through increasing capacity on the West Coast Main Line, rather than building a new high-speed railway.
The HS2 North West report highlights that several stations would lose out if the alternative were implemented, including a reduction of peak services at Warrington and Wigan.
Capacity increase would only be “modest”, they add, and the alternative does not take into account the £300m remodelling costs that would be needed to certain stations.
The report concluded that implementing the alternative upgrade with more services and longer and heavier trains than now would have a detrimental effect on reliability.
Chris Howe, director of HS2 North West, said: “It is feared that not only will North West towns/cities be left out of any potential intercity capacity gains, but commuters will also suffer from delays as the network is upgraded to accommodate longer trains and more services further south, this before reliability issues begin to effect passengers.”
The report is at: http://hs2northwest.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/studying-the-effects-the-51m-e2809coptimised-alternativee2809d-would-have-on-the-west-coast-corridor.pdf
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