Press Release: Britain to have new national high-speed rail network

The UK Government announced on 10 January 2012, that Britain would have a national high speed rail network, providing vital new capacity and faster journeys across the country from 2026.

HS2 will be a Y-shaped rail network with stations in London, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield and the East Midlands linked by high speed trains. It will be built in two phases. The first will see construction of a new 140 mile line between London and Birmingham by 2026, the detailed route of which was published on 10 January 2012.

The second phase will see lines built from Birmingham to Leeds and Manchester by 2032/33. The route for this second phase was published on 28 January 2013.

• Primary Source

UK: Department for Transport: Policy: Developing a new high speed rail network https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/developing-a-new-high-speed-rail-network

UK: Department for Transport: High speed rail: Investing in Britain's future phase two - the route to Leeds, Manchester and beyond (Cm 8508, January 2013) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-speed-rail-investing-in-britains-future-phase-two-the-route-to-leeds-manchester-and-beyond

UK: Department for Transport: News, 28.1.13: High speed rail for British jobs and prosperity https://www.gov.uk/government/news/high-speed-rail-for-british-jobs-and-prosperity

---