As had been widely predicted, Wednesday 4th October saw UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirm that the northern leg of HS2 between Birmingham and Manchester would be cancelled after the continued increase in costs. The rights and wrongs of this decision – said to be made because of the huge increase in costs for the construction of the line – are for others to comment on as it doesn’t fit within the remit of this website but as part of the announcement there was the suggestion that the money saved from not investing in HS2 would be made available for other transport projects outside of London – including the possibility that the much vaunted Leeds tram system may be back on the agenda.
Following the announcement – which was made during Rishi Sunak’s keynote speech at the Conservative Party Conference which ironically took place in Manchester – a document was released unveiling the “Network North” plans. As well as confirming the new plans for HS2 it also detailed “Our new plan for cities” which includes some detail but as with everything of this type much of the detail is still to come and possibly the key message is that money will be made available and it will be responsibility for local Mayors and authorities to decide which projects should be funded.
In total £36 billion is said to be being made available for transport projects outside of London with the suggestion that hundreds of projects could be funded. As we’re interested in trams and light rail on these pages, projects mentioned as possibilities include:
- A fully funded £2.5 billion mass-transit metro in West Yorkshire. This could create a network of up to 7 lines which could eventually connect Leeds with Huddersfield, Wakefield, Bradford and Halifax. This has been widely reported as being a tram system but the report does not give any mention of the mode this metro system would use.
- Manchester Metrolink extensions to Heywood, Bolton, Wigan and Manchester Airport
- Sheffield tram extensions
- More trams for Blackpool
- Extension of Nottingham Express Transit to serve Gedling and Clifton South
- West Midlands Combined Authority to receive £100 million of additional funding to deal with ongoing Metro and Arden Cross cost pressures as well as £250 million of revenue support over the next five years to accelerate local transport projects
Apart from the fact that some of these suggestions have no detail whatsoever (“more trams for Blackpool” and “Sheffield tram extensions”), many of the above have long been considered but have not got much further than the initial planning stages. But considering how long many large-ish projects seem to be get off the ground we wouldn’t go holding our breath that any will get going within the next few years.
More details and reaction to these plans are bound to follow in the next few weeks, months and years (so far most of the reaction has been related to the headline HS2 cancellation rather than what the money could be used for instead).
Metrolink already goes to the airport and the Nottingham system already goes to Clifton South!
The Metrolink extension to the Airport he referred to is understood to be the relatively short extension to Terminal 2. I’m not sure about the Nottingham Clifton extension but there were proposals to extend beyond Clifton to either East Midlands Airport or East Midlands Parkway, perhaps it’s one of these that was meant.
Except the main purpose of the proposed EM Parkway line was to connect with the (previously cancelled) North East branch of HS2…
Although I’m not fully up to speed with the local geography it does look like an extension beyond Clifton South could well serve both East Midlands Parkway and Airport. Hopefully that is the idea.
As the PM has already gone back on the promised Manchester and Leeds legs of HS2
, it’s likely if he gets re-elected all these ‘plans’ would get cancelled too.
I seem to remember the last Labour government cancelling projected trams systems for Bristol, Leeds and Liverpool. If they get into power at the next election let’s hope they are on the right track this time regarding tramways.
Does Blackpool need more trams when its “B” fleet is doing nothing most of the time?
According to Blackpool Evening Gazette article , should Lancashire County Council get to spend some of the dosh promised, their number one project is a Fleetwood to Poulton tram- train line.
I understood that the B fleet conversions were something of a compromise supported by DfT at the time of the system upgrade. They were intended to allow a peak season service increase at busy times. I would imagine that their infrequent use is that they are a poor substitute for newer generation units. Although the conversion was supposed to allow level access the carriage of wheelchairs or infant buggies must seriously impede other passengers’ access through the single centre doors. Their lower acceleration and braking rates no doubt cause bunching in the headways. At the time it was the only way DfT would finance the capacity Blackpool Transport Services were looking for. It has already been said that additional new trams are needed to support the normal service and this government funding seems to allow for that provision.