A
new
two-year
study


of
ways
of
taking
HS2
services
to
Leeds
has
been
welcomed
in
the
Midlands.

The
study
will
consider
future
rail
capacity
needs
at
Leeds
and
in
West
Yorkshire
more
generally,
and
will
look
at
different
options,
taking
possible
disruption
and
value
for
money
into
account.

Leeds
had
been
intended
to
be
the
terminus
of
a
new
high
speed
line
from
the
West
Midlands,
which
would
have
served
the
Derby/Nottingham
area
and
Sheffield
en
route,
but
this
part
of
the
scheme
was
later
cut
back
to
terminate
at
East
Midlands
Parkway.

The
government,
which
says
the
technical
work
will
be
done
by
Network
Rail,
supported
by
HS2
Ltd,
warned
that
the
preparation
of
an
Outline
Business
Case
did
not
mean
that
any
of
the
options
would
go
ahead.

These
options
include
running
high
speed
services
via
Newark
and
the
East
Coast
Main
Line,
routing
Leeds
services
via
Manchester,
or
completing
the
full
Eastern
Leg
of
HS2
through
the
East
Midlands
and
South
Yorkshire
to
Leeds
as
originally
planned.

The
study
will
also
examine
the
implications
of
using
parts
of
the
existing
network.

Rail
minister
Huw
Merriman
told
MPs:
‘The
proposals
set
out
in
the
Integrated
Rail
Plan
bring
communities
and
labour
markets
together
and
will
support
growing
our
economy
in
towns
and
cities
across
the
nation.

‘The
work
in
the
study
will
consider
a
range
of
options
and
take
account
of
value
for
money,
affordability,
deliverability
and
timescales,
economic
development,
disruption
to
passengers
and
local
views
and
evidence.
The
study
will
be
extensive
and
will
take
two
years
to
complete.

‘As
this
work
progresses,
we
intend
to
review
the
case
for
dropping
certain
options,
taking
account
of
evidence
gathered,
particularly
on
costs,
affordability,
benefits
and
value
for
money.’

Another
development
concerns
the
provision
of
a
new
station
for
Bradford,
which
had
been
dropped
from
the
separate
Integrated
Rail
Plan.

Mr
Merriman
said
the
government
was
accepting
a
recommendation
of
the
Transport
Select
Committee
that
‘the
government
should
reconsider
the
case
for
the
development
of
a
new
station
in
Bradford.
The
development
of
the
St
James’s
Market
station
would
not
only
enhance
rail
connectivity
in
the
North,
allowing
further
investment
in
the
city,
but
also
provide
further
opportunities
for
rail
development
in
Bradford
after
the
“core
pipeline”
of
IRP
upgrades
take
place.’

Midlands
Connect’s
chief
executive
Maria
Machancoses
said:
‘We
welcome
the
release
of
the
much
awaited
terms
of
reference
for
the
HS2
review
up
to
Leeds.

‘Midlands
Connect
remains
unanimous
on
the
enormous
economic,
social
and
environmental
benefits
associated
with
getting
HS2
connections
from
the
Midlands
to
the
North.

‘We
will
now
seek
to
be
actively
involved
in
the
next
stages
of
development
ensuring
as
part
of
the
study,
consideration
is
given
to
our
proposals
for
improved
services
from
the
East
Midlands
to
Leeds
and
beyond.’