Next phase of HS2 will be discussed by Parliament in 'early 2022 or sooner'

In an open letter, Mark Thurston, chief executive of HS2 Ltd, revealed the company is “busy preparing” for the Government to review the bill that sets out plans for the western leg of phase 2b, which is due to link Crewe and Manchester.

Construction can begin once the bill has been approved.

“The Government intend to deposit the bill in Parliament in early 2022 or sooner if possible, subject to their Integrated Rail Plan (IRP), which is due to be published this year,” he wrote.

However, there is no update on the eastern leg of phase 2b, which is due to link the West Midlands and Leeds and open between 2036 and 2040, and Northern leaders are concerned the project may be shelved.

HS2 Ltd is waiting for the Government’s IPR to be published before it progresses plans for the eastern leg, as it will set out how the multi-billion pound rail line will be integrated with Northern Powerhouse Rail and other major projects.

Speculation about the future of the project has been mounting and last month the Government’s Infrastructure and Projects Authority said successful delivery of phase 2b “appears to be unachievable”.

The Department for Transport has not revealed when the IRP will be published - despite pressure from a number of Northern MPs, council leaders and mayors - and Transport for the North (TfN) claims the it will not be made public until after Parliament’s summer recess, which ends on September 6.

TfN has also said this will delay Northern Powerhouse Rail by at least a year, because it needs to review the document before finalising its business case for the project.

In a report, it said the business case will not be submitted until March 2022 at the earliest - a year later than originally planned - but it could be “potentially much later” and this will “result in delays to the programme and start of construction”.

Work is well underway on phase one of HS2, which links London and Birmingham, and phase 2a, which is due to link West Midlands and Crewe, was approved by Parliament in February.

In his open letter, Mr Thurston said HS2 Ltd has made “considerable progress on the project over the last six months”.

He added: “Across the project, the construction of the railway is already supporting over 16,000 jobs, including 650 apprenticeships, and over the next decade will provide around 400,000 supply chain opportunities.

“On Phase 2a, the High Speed Rail (West Midlands to Crewe) Act 2021 received Royal Assent in February this year. This was another major milestone for the project, enabling us to progress the next phase of the HS2 network, by extending the high speed rail line to Crewe in Cheshire and accelerating the benefits of HS2 to the Midlands, North West of England, Wales and Scotland.

“These milestones demonstrate significant progress for the project but I recognise that, as work progresses, concerns will remain in local communities that are impacted by the construction of the railway.

“We are committed to continuing our engagement with residents to keep them informed, providing opportunities to hear their views, and responding quickly to their queries and concerns.”